The Power of Mobility

When it comes to musculoskeletal health and exercise, you have probably heard of the importance of stretching to maintain flexibility and avoid injury. Although there are numerous benefits of stretching, especially for the modern desk-bound or tech-heavy human, we often focus on this without considering another important, yet understated, component of musculoskeletal health—and that is mobility.

Pause to think about the types of movements you perform on a daily basis—in and out of bed, on and off chairs, in and out of the car, bending over to perform chores or petting your dog, or reaching to grab a glass out of the cabinet. The list goes on and on. Mobility is clearly important for daily functioning, especially as we age. Perhaps anyone who has had an experience of lost or limited mobility due to an injury personally understands the importance, but for healthy populations, mobility is commonly something taken for granted.

How do we optimize mobility for health? Keep reading to better understand this concept and how to integrate more aspects of mobility into your wellness routine.

UNDERSTANDING MOBILITY

What is Mobility? Mobility is more than just flexibility; it's the active ability to move our joints through their full range of motion. Unlike flexibility, which focuses on passive elongation, mobility requires strength and control for fluid, pain-free movement.

Mobility vs. Flexibility: Mobility requires flexibility, but flexibility does not require mobility. A mobility exercise looks more dynamic than a stretch, as it involves moving your joints through a full range of motion and repeating. In comparison, flexibility exercises look traditionally like a stretch, where a position is held for a set duration of time.

Shoulder Flexibility Exercise: Holding a Stretch

Shoulder Mobility Exercise: Moving through Full Range of Motion

Counteracting Sedentary Lifestyles: As our lives become increasingly sedentary, mobility exercises offer a vital counterbalance, combating the negative effects of prolonged sitting and inactivity.

Improving Posture and Balance: By cultivating better movement patterns, mobility exercises enhance posture, balance, and overall comfort, reducing the risk of musculoskeletal issues.

TIPS FOR PERFORMING MOBILITY EXERCISE

Focus and Mindfulness: Approach mobility exercises with intention and mindfulness, listening to your body and avoiding pushing through pain. If an exercise causes pain, discontinue that exercise.

Breath and Control: Maintain rhythmic breathing and emphasize proper form and technique to ensure safe and effective mobility exercises. You may consider working with a professional like a physical therapist or athletic trainer if mobility is new to your routine.

Integrating Mobility into Everyday Life: Simple daily activities, such as getting in and out of bed or navigating chairs, provide opportunities for integrating mobility-enhancing practices into our routines. Once you learn techniques for better mobility through exercise, you will naturally build your “muscle memory” and enhance your daily movement patterns for safer and more efficient movement.

Mobility and Workplace Health: Workplace injuries, from slips and falls to ergonomic-related issues like repetitive motion, are all too common. Prioritizing mobility as part of a pre-shift routine or mid-day break can significantly reduce the risk of these injuries. Programs that include a mix of mobility and stretching are often termed “dynamic warm-up programs” and can be highly effective at reducing work-related discomfort. Many employers work with outside professionals and experts for mobility training for their teams, for example, implementing a trainer-the-trainer program for dynamic warm-up implementation or hosting a live webinar for office workers on the importance of mobility.

MOVING BETTER WITH MOBILITY

In summary, the importance of mobility is under recognized, yet critical for musculoskeletal health and function. Practicing mobility exercises and implementing better movement practices into work and home life has the potential to reduce injury or accidents in addition to enhancing our performance in daily activities.

Interested in learning more about our mobility programs? Reach out to the professionals at The Rising Workplace.