Welcome to Bingo M.E.A.N.S. Wellness! During this first week, we're getting started on building your foundational wellness knowledge
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What is mobility?
Mobility is your body's ability to move functionally through your daily movements. This is the foundation to stamina, strength, balance, and coordination. It is a combination of strength and flexibility throughout your entire body. How is mobility different from flexibility? Flexibility focuses on one muscle or muscle group to extend in one direction while mobility addresses joints as a whole. Flexibility is a key part in maintaining mobility though. For example, being able to touch your toes means that you have good hamstring flexibility, but being able to squat with your feet flat on the ground indicates good knee, hip, and ankle mobility. Why is mobility important? Mobility is what keeps you moving. Putting on socks, getting out of bed, climbing stairs, and cleaning your home are just a few things that rely on functional mobility. Mobility training is key for injury prevention and improving quality of life. How to improve mobility? Since mobility is the product of strength and flexibility, focusing on both components is essential. Try dynamic stretches instead of static. Dynamic stretches are things like arm circles or high knees, while static stretches are when you hold a position for a period of time. If you have pain or trouble doing things you could do years ago, start by breaking down the movement into a few different parts and working on each part individually to progressively build up. |