Is There a Difference Between Flexibility & Mobility?
- amberlynwellbeing
- Nov 21, 2022
- 2 min read
It seems that too often mobility and flexibility are used interchangeably. Often times they do go hand in hand, but they are not the same thing. Flexibility is what you are reminded that you don’t have when you try to touch your toes and your fingers barely get past your knees (just me?). It’s how far your muscles can be passively stretched. Mobility comes into play when you are trying to squat down to pick something up but you can’t get close or when you try to reach something on a high shelf but it feels like your arm can’t go that high. It’s how far a joint can move through a range of motion. Your range of motion is considered how far a joint should be able to move. The less mobility you have the smaller that range is.
You may consider yourself someone who just isn’t flexible, that’s just how it is. Unfortunately that also means your mobility is limited. That’s when it starts to affect your everyday life, the small movements in the day. Lack of flexibility and in turn mobility will have an impact on posture, movement and can increase your risk of injury. Your central nervous system is kind of like your body’s security guard, it tries to keep you safe.
What impacts flexibility?
Genetics
Age
Injury
Hormones
Gender
What impacts stability?
Joint structure
Age
Soft tissue flexibility
Overall health
Fat/muscle mass
Theres a term in the fitness world, the principle of specificity. It can be boiled down to ‘use it or lose it’. Age-related loss of mobility has been found to be joint specific. For example the shoulder and trunk (chest, pelvis, abdomen & back) are found to be much less mobile in older populations than their elbows and knees.
So how do i improve my flexibility and stability?
Flexibility
Static stretching. Holding and reaching.
Upper back stretch
Shoulder stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch
Hamstring Stretch
Foam rolling (SMR). You lay on top of a foam roller and you are able to target tight spots
Quads
Hip Flexors
Upper back
Lats (under your arm pit)
Mobility
Dynamic stretching. Active stretching by going through the full range of motion. Balance training.
Lateral Lunges (Hips)
Neck Half Circles
Arm circles
Spinal Rotaations
If you want to start feeling capable in your own body and to have faith in your body to do what it needs to do; mobility and flexibility training are a great place to start.
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