How to start a mobility practice for better movement and less pain

Fitness is often measured by numbers, but one important metric is harder to quantify: mobility. It gets overlooked because the exercises do not “have the instant visual appeal of traditional workouts,” as Tyler McDonald notes, and mobility won’t significantly change how your body looks.

Dr Andrew Jagim distinguishes mobility from flexibility: flexibility is the passive range of a muscle or joint, while mobility is active and includes strength, motor control, coordination and stability. Good mobility delivers freedom of movement, making everyday tasks easier and reducing the need for the body to “borrow” movement from other joints.

If hips are locked from sitting, for example, the lower back may compensate, which over time can cause chronic aches, premature joint wear and a higher risk of injury.

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