3 Joint Mobility Exercises That Improve Flexibility

These Exercises Will Loosen You Up!

If you have been dealing with more pain lately when trying to get around, it may not have to do with leading an active lifestyle, especially if you are typically an active person. The problem could be that you are losing mobility in your joints. As we age, we get less flexible. Less flexibility means that our joints are not able to go through their full range of motion without encountering pain or stiffness.

While there plenty of ways to improve joint flexibility, we are going to focus on Dynamic Stretching as we are learning that this form of stretching is more effective than it’s static counterpart.

The following article shows 3 dynamic stretches you can do to improve flexibility in your joints. See these stretches below and be sure to pass this along to anyone that could use some much needed flexibility in their joints!

By Natasha Freutel

1. Ankle mobility

Good ankle mobility contributes to better balance, fewer falls, and better performance during activities like squats and deadlifts.

Equipment needed: none

Movement: ankle dorsiflexion, plantarflexion

1. Stand up tall facing a wall.
2. Place hands on the wall for support.
3. Slowly rock forward onto your toes, coming into a tip-toe position.
4. Slowly rock back onto your heels, lifting your toes off the ground.
5. Repeat 10 times, holding the wall for balance.

2. Walking hip openers

Your hip joint is a ball and socket joint that moves in all directions. It’s important to warm up the hip and surrounding muscles before any workout, since they are key contributors to balance and stability.

Equipment needed: none

Muscles worked: glutes, hip flexors, hip extensors, hip abductors, hip adductors

1. Stand up tall with feet hip-width apart.
2. Take one step forward with your right leg, plant your foot firmly on the ground, and lift your left knee to your chest.
3. While standing on one leg, make a circle with your knee, bringing it across your body and then out to the side.
4. Place left foot on the floor and repeat on the right side.
5. Repeat 10 times, then repeat entire sequence moving your legs in the opposite direction by bringing your leg out to the side first and then in a circle across your body.

3. Thoracic spine windmills on floor

Your thoracic spine is in the middle of your back, from the base of the neck to the area between your shoulder blades. Good mobility in the thoracic spine allows you to move your arms freely over your head and turn side to side. Poor mobility can lead to shoulder pain and problems, poor posture, and upper back pain.

Equipment needed: towel or foam roll

Muscles worked: core muscles, upper back, spine stabilizing muscles, and obliques

1. Lie on the floor on your side.
2. Bend your knees and hips to just past 90 degrees, resting your knees beside you on the floor.
3. Straighten your bottom leg and rest your top leg on a foam roller or a towel without changing its position.
4. Extend both your arms together along the floor, straight out in front of your body. They should be stacked, palms together, at shoulder height.
5. Slowly lift your top arm and rotate it away from you, opening up your chest to the ceiling. You can rest your hand on the other side of your body, if able.
6. Hold this position for 3 seconds and slowly bring it back to touch your other hand.
7. Repeat 5 times on each side.

See the full list of stretches from Healthline here.

To Your Health And Wellness!