Photo by Roman Yusupov on Unsplash
Greetings!
The main idea behind this guide is to shorten the time to feel the benefits of a mobility program. It does not mean that this is the correct approach for everyone. Our bone structure differs significantly from one person to another. It is, instead, a plan that often works when an assessment is not possible.
By now, you have noticed that increasing the active range of motion in our joints is fundamental. Excellent, but which joints?
Side note: If you don't yet understand what active range of motion is, please let me know through the comments or Instagram.
As I said, needs will differ from person to person, according to several factors. However, by selecting these three, you have an increased chance of improvement, to a certain extent. Despite our need for mobility in every synovial joint of the body, some joints will provide further stability to less mobile joints. For instance, the more mobility you have in your hip, the less likely you will overload your Lumbar spine, generally speaking. It is all about load distribution, but we will not dive into that.
For illustration purposes, we will visualize the human body this way:
Please bear in mind: in reality, it is far more complex. However, for the simplicity of the proposed strategy, this diagram will suffice.
In simpler terms, the efficacy of the Ankle, Hip, and Shoulder joints create aptitude in most of our daily human movements. Take the Hinge and the Squat movements, for example. They are deeply affected by how well the hip and the ankles move.
These two types of movements are widely adopted in gyms all over the world. More importantly, they are fundamental to body function.
Notice that the goal of this advice is to reduce pain and improve function. However, if you are a gym rat, you might also feel the benefits of improving your range of motion.
Let us try an experiment: If you have knee pain or lower back pain, I will make a suggestion. Try including mobility exercises for the Ankle and Hip. I will not interfere with which strategy you use, provided they are prescribed by a qualified professional. If you lift heavy things overhead frequently, consider including mobility exercises for the Shoulder joint. The exercises should be focused on increasing the articular workspace. It is crucial to state, again, that this does not replace a movement assessment.
For a brief overview, the Ankle joint is one of the most important for nearly every human movement. Still, we often neglect it. If the ankle does not absorb the load correctly, it transfers the duty to adjacent joints, depending on where the weight is. In other words, knee or lower back.
The same happens with the hip joint, although it affects the whole body in a more complex way.
To conclude this section, pay more attention to these three joints. Even though peoples' needs are quite different, there is a high rate of modern humans that will benefit from shifting the attention to these places.
There is no wrong moment to take action. And every significant change requires patience and consistency. Therefore, remember these words.
If you would like to add information or discuss the concepts within this article, I'd be happy to read some personal experiences. As we move into more conversation-based communication, the learning curve becomes far more valuable. And if you believe this content will be useful for someone you know, please share the newsletter. Movement education is necessary in a sedentary world.
Strength to you!