Mobility is the ability to move a particular joint through a range of motion. The greater the range, the greater the mobility.
Due to the modern lifestyle, natural Human movement has been severely restricted. People spend hours each day sitting in chairs at home, at work, and while travelling.
Even when exercising, the range of motion in many of the movements practiced is limited … i.e. sitting on machines, running, cycling, or participating in a single sport.
Although exercise of any kind is better than being sedentary, it can still lead to loss of mobility. Why? There are a number of lengthy explanations, but the simplest relates to the old saying “Use It, or Lose It”!
The body is both (by nature) lazy and protective. If a range of motion is not used for a long time, it is lost from the nervous system’s “repertoire”. Joints become rusty hinges, muscles tighten around the current range of motion used, and imbalances in the body are created from compensations.
It doesn’t matter if you are sedentary or an athlete. If full range of motion in a joint is lost, if the muscles surrounding those joints are tight, if imbalances in the body are created, then pain and injury are inevitable.
Recovering and maintaining mobility is possible for anyone. It may not be glamorous or exciting, but it is an endeavour that will improve overall movement capacity, enhance performance, reduce pain, lower the risk of injury, and improve quality of life.
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