The joints are essential body structures that allow the arms, legs, hips, and other body areas to move. Many tissues comprise the joints, including bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. When you're young, these joints move smoothly and freely.
However, with age or after an injury, the joints don’t move as well, leading to stiffness, pain, and arthritis. Joints that don’t move well also increase the risk of falls and other injuries.
At Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Dr. Brian Snow and Dr. Jon Thompson understand the importance of joint mobility. They offer various treatments for sports injuries, arthritis, and knee, hip, or shoulder pain to improve mobility and your quality of life.
Joint mobility is the ability of each joint to move freely and smoothly without pain or restrictions. When young and healthy, the joints have plenty of cartilage and flexibility to move correctly.
However, it’s harder to move with age and injury due to adhesions, cartilage loss, and tight muscles or tendons. Age is a significant factor in joint mobility, as the protective tissues within each joint wear down over time.
Arthritis is a common age-related problem that affects the joints and causes decreased range of motion and stiffness. It can affect any joint but is especially prevalent in the knees, wrists, ankles, hips, and shoulders.
Other joint mobility issues include tight muscles, tendons, or ligaments and injuries. Chronic overuse injuries lead to pain, swelling, and stiffness, restricting joint movement.
Improving joint mobility as you age is vital to your health and wellness. It allows you to do what you love longer with less pain and improved overall mobility.
Regular exercise isn’t just a great way to stay in shape; it is essential for healthy joints. Adding mobility exercises to your regular workout routine becomes even more critical for optimal joint function as you age.
Lifting weights, cardio, and stretching should all be part of your usual workout regimen. The following exercises are also critical in preventing joint injuries and increasing the range of motion within each joint:
Squats are an excellent bodyweight exercise that engages various leg and hip muscles. Start slow and keep your chest up and spine neutral while lowering like you’re sitting on a chair. You’ll work the hamstrings, glutes, and quads while improving knee, ankle, and hip mobility.
The hip joint carries much of the body’s weight, which stresses it. Walking hip openers allow the ball-and-socket joint to move freely and warm up before exercise. They target the hip flexors, extensors, adductors, abductors, and glutes.
Arm and ankle circles are other mobility exercises that target the ankle and shoulder joints. Sit or stand, roll the ankles around in a circle, then switch directions. Stand and start with small arm circles and increase to larger ones, remembering to switch directions.
Leg raises are a great mobility exercise for the knees and hips while also targeting the core. Lay on your back and raise both legs at once for an advanced move, or one leg at a time to target one side of the body.
Neck mobility is essential as you age because of arthritis and stiff neck and back muscles. Neck circles allow you to improve spinal motion and stretch the large neck, shoulders, and back muscles.
Sun salutations are an integral part of yoga practice that improve spinal mobility and stretch the hamstrings and glutes. This type of yoga flow can improve overall flexibility and mobility for healthy joints.
The cat-cow is an excellent stretch for your spine and neck. Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees. With an inhale, round the back upward for a good stretch. Exhale and lower your back and stomach while pushing your neck upward for excellent spinal mobility.
The butterfly stretch is excellent for the hips and legs. Sit with the soles of your feet touching each other and let the legs fall outward. Apply slight pressure to the legs, gently pushing your knees toward the ground.
Use bodyweight exercises and light weights to strengthen the bones and muscles around each joint for improved support. Start slowly and increase activity over time to prevent injuries that could affect the joints.
Call one of our McKinney and Prosper, Texas, offices for an arthritis consultation, or you may contact our team on our website to schedule an appointment with Dr. Thompson or Dr. Snow to discuss treatment options.
