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Mobility Matters More Than You Think: Expert Tips to Keep You Healthy
Good mobility is essential to performing everyday activities with ease and reducing the risk of injuries. It allows us to move our joints actively through their full range of motion and preserve the quality of cartilage and joints. In a recent interview, Evan Thomas, Registered Physiotherapist at Dockside Physiotherapy, discussed the benefits of maintaining good mobility, common mobility issues people face, and how they can be addressed.
Benefits of Maintaining Good Mobility
Good mobility is essential to lead a comfortable life. It reduces the effort required to perform everyday tasks such as reaching overhead, doing chores around the house, or getting up and off the ground. Moreover, maintaining good mobility helps to keep joints healthy by allowing them to move to their full range of motion, preserving the quality of cartilage and joints.
Common Mobility Issues and How to Address Them
Evan points out that many people experience similar mobility issues throughout the body, including neck stiffness, limited upper back extension and rotation, limited shoulder range of motion, limited lower back rotation and mobility, tight wrists during push-ups, and tight hip flexors and ankles. To address these concerns, Evan recommends specific mobility exercises and consistent efforts to gradually improve these issues.
When it comes to improving mobility, physiotherapy can play an important role by assessing a person’s movement capacity, loading capacity, range of motion, and movement control. Based on the assessment, a targeted exercise program is developed to help resolve any mobility issues, which may involve using weights, stretching straps, sticks, or foam boards. Manual therapy techniques, such as massage work, mobility work on the joints, manipulations to different regions, or dry needling, may also be used to aid in mobility improvement. Evan emphasizes the importance of education in this process, providing individuals with tips and tricks to improve mobility, such as incorporating pockets of exercise throughout the day or just general movements into their daily routines.
Common Mobility Issues for Deskbound Workers
Deskbound workers may experience specific mobility issues such as feeling slouched or hunched over, leading to stiffness or tightness in their upper or lower neck, shoulders, and upper back. Additionally, sitting for prolonged periods in a chair can lead to stiffness or tension in the front of the hip flexors. To prevent these issues, Evan suggests incorporating regular movement into daily routines, taking breaks, going for walks, and doing exercises that feel good and work in the opposite direction.
Check out these two video clips where Evan demonstrates targeted mobility exercises perfect for individuals who spend extended periods sitting at a desk. In the first clip, he utilizes a foam roller to enhance mobility, while in the second clip, he demonstrates exercises that can be done with a chair. Incorporating these exercises into your routine will help enhance your mobility and combat the negative effects of sedentary work.
Lifestyle Factors that Impact Mobility
Several lifestyle factors can impact mobility, including a sedentary lifestyle, poor food quality intake, smoking, and alcohol consumption. A sedentary lifestyle and poor food quality intake can contribute to inflammation and other health issues, making it essential to have enough fruits and veggies to maintain good tissue health and boost the immune system. Smoking and alcohol consumption can also affect mobility, particularly in terms of circulation and tissue quality with healing.
Misconceptions about Mobility
Evan also addressed common misconceptions about mobility. One common misconception is that mobility equals flexibility, but mobility is actually the ability to move joints actively through their full range of motion, while flexibility is the ability of soft tissues to passively stretch. Another misconception is that as we age, our mobility will inevitably decline, but regular exercise can prevent or minimize this. Pain is a complex issue, and while mobility can be a cause, it’s not always the case.
Conclusion
Maintaining good mobility is essential for overall health and well-being, and it can be addressed through targeted exercises and consistent effort. It’s important to address mobility issues early on, as they can progress and lead to more significant problems if left untreated.
If you’re experiencing mobility issues or want to improve your mobility, it’s a good idea to seek the help of a physiotherapist near you who can assess your movement and develop a personalized exercise program to help resolve any issues. Incorporating regular movement into your daily routine, taking breaks, and going for walks can also help prevent mobility issues from arising.
Remember that mobility is not just about flexibility, and it’s not something that inevitably declines with age. With consistent effort and the right exercises, you can maintain good mobility over the long term, and this can have a significant positive impact on your overall health and quality of life.
About Dockside Physiotherapy
At Dockside Physiotherapy, our team of registered physiotherapists is dedicated to helping guide you along your recovery path. We work together with you to identify the source of your pain and formulate a customized treatment plan that addresses your needs and achieves your goals. In addition to physiotherapy, we offer a variety of services including pelvic health/floor therapy, concussion rehab, chronic pain/injury recovery, bike fitting, hand therapy, as well as IMS/dry needling and TeleRehab/E-Physio!
To easily search, compare and book an appointment with a physiotherapist near you, visit medimap.ca.