The Power of Flexibility and Mobility for Your Health
Many people focus on diet and exercise when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. But two overlooked and critical factors for health are flexibility and mobility. Maintaining flexibility and joint mobility can benefit your quality of life in various ways. Let’s explore why you shouldn’t neglect flexibility and mobility.
Flexibility Reduces Day-to-Day Pain
Lack of flexibility can directly contribute to common aches and pains. For example, tight hamstrings can pull on the pelvis, causing it to tilt and put pressure on the lower back. This leads to lower back soreness and strain, which research shows 8 out of 10 people experience.
Increased hamstring flexibility alone can reduce lower back pain for some people. Back pain doesn’t just hurt your quality of life, it also impacts work productivity. Lost work time and underperformance due to lower back pain costs employers an estimated $51,400 annually per 100 employees.
Flexibility Lowers Mortality Risk
Some studies have linked poor flexibility to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Regular stretching to improve flexibility provides benefits like lowered blood pressure and less chronic joint pain. Flexibility is clearly vital to overall health.
Mobility Prevents Injury
Mobility refers to how freely joints can move through their range of motion. Tight muscles inhibit joint mobility, making it easier to get injured when active. Stiff joints also can’t function optimally.
You should proactively work on mobility as prevention instead of reacting after an injury. Myofascial release techniques like foam rolling combined with stretching are great for increasing mobility before problems arise.
Take Action
Don’t wait for serious health issues to make flexibility and mobility a priority. Minor aches and pains, increased injury risk, and cardiovascular implications are all reasons to take action now.
Get a foam roller and make static stretching part of your daily routine. You’ll be surprised how much regular flexibility and mobility work can improve your overall health and prevent nagging issues like back pain. Don’t neglect these two overlooked aspects of a healthy lifestyle. Your body will thank you!
Check in with your doctor before starting any new work out routines.
