Flexibility

Flexibility is the ability to achieve an extended range of motion. There are several things that can limit a person’s flexibility. The two most important are fascia tension and joint mobility.

Fascia tension

Fascia is the soft tissue component of the connective tissue that provides support and protection for most structures within the human body, including muscles. Due to factors like overuse and injury, this tissue can become restricted, leading to reduced range of movement in the body.

This tension and restriction can be released in a number of ways, including the use of a foam roller.

To use a foam roller:

• Position the roller under the area you want to release.
• Move slowly from furthest point of your extremity towards the centre of your body.
• Never roll over a joint.
• If you find a particularly painful area, hold that position until the area softens – for at least 20 seconds.
• Roll over each area a few times.

Joint mobility

Joint mobility refers to relative ranges of motion that can be performed at the joint. Joint mobility training is extremely important for maintaining flexibility. As we age, cartilage in our joints degrades, and so does our ability to move our joints through a full range. Also, when we injure a joint we get a build up of scar tissue, which further inhibits our range of movement.

Joint mobility drills are simple to perform and can be done by anyone. They essentially consist of performing a rotating movement around a joint in the body. We recommend a 10-15 minute warm-up and a 10-15 minute cool down to help speed up recovery. Performing joint mobility drills daily will increase your flexibility and energy levels, and speed up recovery from exercise.

To find out more about increasing flexibility, call us on (03) 9387 0800.