Mobility is defined as the ability to move or be moved freely and easily. Mobility within a joint is the degree to which the area where two bones meet (known as an articulation), is allowed to move before restricted by the surrounding tissue such as tendons, muscle, and ligaments. Do you get tightness or soreness in your muscles for no reason at all? This could be from lack of mobility. Whether you lift weights, run, bike, or even sit at a desk all day at work, mobility should be a part of your daily routine. For example, when performing a squat or a lunge or simply picking something off of the floor, you need mobility in your ankles.
If you lack that mobility, your knees and hips have to compensate for that and in time can cause further injury. The vast majority of people are affected by sitting most of their day. Anymore, we are sitting in front of our computers and phones for long periods of time. When we are in this position, our shoulders round forward, hip flexors become shortened and tightened, and the glutes and hamstrings become deactivated. Holding a static position for long periods of time cause the muscles to lose their function, this in time starts to cause aches and pains. Performing simple mobility exercises every day for 10 minutes can help minimize those aches and pains and help prevent injuries.
Some ways to add mobility to your daily routine could be foam rolling, mobility drills, and some stretching. Foam rolling is a great way to relieve some tightness and tension in the muscles before and after your workouts and/or when you wake up in the morning and come home from work. It is cheap and easy to do yourself to prevent stiffness throughout the body. Mobility Drills are exercises that promote mobility by taking the muscles, tendons, and joints through the full range of motion with the intent to increase efficiency and quality of motion. Stretching can also be implemented to increase flexibility which is a key factor in mobility.
At F.I.T. Muscle & Joint Clinic we evaluate our patients and look for areas that are lacking mobility and possibly causing your pain or injury. If you are looking for ways to keep up with mobility, come on in to our clinics for an evaluation with one of our doctors and ask them about mobility. The team at F.I.T. Muscle & Joint Clinic are highly qualified practitioners who continue to expand on their education and have the experience necessary to provide state of the art care. We currently serve the Kansas City Metro area including Overland Park, Shawnee, Olathe, Gardner, Leawood, Prairie Village, Belton, Lees Summit, Blue Springs, and Lawrence. Please contact F.I.T. Muscle & Joint Clinic today. New patients are always welcome!
