Mobility vs. Flexibility

What’s up, Team!

I want to take a moment to chat about mobility and flexibility — specifically, what’s the difference?

Mobility is the ability to actively take our joints through their full ranges of motion. A joint is where two bones meet — such as your hips, knees, ankles, and shoulders.

Flexibility is having length within a muscle.

Flexibility is being able to touch your toes with your legs straight, while mobility is being able to control that movement (you’d be able to stop and hold your position at any point throughout the toe touch).

The reality is, our body is incredibly smart and wants to avoid pain at all costs. A lot of our body, including our muscles, react to what is happening at our joints. So, if a joint is not mobile, our muscles may tense up to “protect” the joint from potential pain. This, in turn, can affect our flexibility and ability to lengthen the muscles.

By incorporating regular mobility work into our movement routine, we are greasing up our joints and taking them through active ranges of motion. This not only helps us move easier and feel better in our bodies, but also helps to alleviate aches and reduce the risk of future injuries.

If you’re interested in incorporating mobility into your routine, sign up for our brand new program Mobility RX launching January 2nd!