 You might ask yourself: Why do I need mobility? Our lives are dominated by both a lack of movement (sitting in a chair) as well as certain repetitive movements (typing on a keyboard) every day for many hours. Given enough time, these types of movements (or lack thereof) may lead to overuse or tightness of certain areas. Muscles start pulling on joints unevenly. Increased wear and tear can then promote injuries or chronic pain. In order to combat the lack of diverse movements in our lives, you need to assess and improve your mobility. Now, you might envision something along the lines of being able to bend like a pretzel (Good on you, if you can!). This, however, is considered ‘flexibility’ and is only one aspect of mobility. Mobility refers to the body’s ability to perform movement in a way that is most effective and least harmful, combining strength and flexibility. Think ‘reaching for a plate on the upper shelf of your kitchen cabinet’. A few things need to happen in order for you to successfully retrieve the plate. You need a certain amount of strength in order to move your arm upwards. Strength only gets you so far, however. If you ever had a frozen shoulder, you know what I am talking about. If you don’t have flexibility that allows your arm to move freely in its joint, you won’t get far. And as if that’s not enough, you also need some decent neuromuscular control. Meaning, if your nerves and muscles are not able to work together efficiently, you might be too fast reaching up and hurt yourself or you might not be able to locate the position of the plate correctly in order to grab it. In other words, mobility, the ability to move freely and with ease, is what keeps our bodies happy and healthy. Everytime, we start compensating, we increase the risk of damage to joints, ligaments and muscles. Sufficient mobility is the best way to combat repetitive movements and a great way to check in with your body. If you would like to know more, contact me !
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