Before we talk about mobility itself, we must understand the body as a set where all its components are connected and work in unison. That is, if we have knee pain when running, we don’t just have to focus on it, since the problem may be elsewhere in our skeletal muscle system. On this system, we will focus on the publication to try to understand how it works in general.
When we talk about mobility we talk about what all the structures we will see below can yield allowing for a wider and higher quality movement (motor control). Otherwise, we will cause premature injuries.
Within this system, we can find tendons, muscles, bones, ligaments, and joints (some with joint capsule, meniscus, round, or surfaces that increase joint congruence, etc…). A joint is a union between two or more bones, although it is true that there are several types and each has its peculiarities. We can generalize that those classified as the most mobile have a joint capsule that covers them with synovial liquid inside with a function, among other things, load shock absorber and brings fluidity to the bone slide when there is movement. We can also find ligaments that fix it and give passive stability, tendons (which are the prolongation of a muscle in its insertion with the bone) that give movement and active stability and in some cases, we can find annexed surfaces that increase the degree of congruence between these two bones. Finally, the muscle is the component that generates movement but if you do not have enough elastic capacity of your fibers it can also be a barrier causing a lower range of movement.
The last anatomical aspect to comment on is that any movement of our daily lives is not only produced by a muscle, where only one joint is involved but that small joints are also responsible for a part. For example, the “shoulder” is made up of up to 4 joints: sternocostoclavicular, acromioclavicular, glenohumeral (one of the most mobile joints in our body along with coxofemoral), and scapulothoracic (false stump). Well, when we make any movement in our “shoulder” move the 4 joints at once, to a greater or lesser extent, to provide that one movement. Only one of them doesn’t work as it should can cause restrictions.
There are articulations that we have previously talked about that should have more movement (hypermobile) than others (hypomobile). If a hypermobile joint does not take over its part of the movement due to a restriction of the structures that surround it, that work has to be done by the hypermobile-nine-netter, which is not prepared physiologically for that function. That’s when excessive wear occurs and injuries may appear.
Now that we have seen at an anatomical level that mobility is not a simple thing, but rather the opposite, we can go on to talk about it because more and more injuries occur due to restrictions in some of the anatomical structures due to the lack of movement.
For this, we have to go back to prehistory to see how our lifestyle has changed. In many factors better but in others like mobility, I would not express it in the same way since the deep sit (exercise of mobility par excellence) was a comfortable position to work the tools. In this position, also widely used by children when they are young, a good range of movement of the ankle, knee, and hip is required. Leaving aside all the small joints that also collaborate. Right now the comfortable position to work is in an ergonomic, reclining chair that almost offers you a robotic massage…
Having said that, let us realize that because of the sedentary life that exists in the 21st century when the majority of the population spends much of their time being in accommodations such as chairs when working in front of a computer, sofas to rest, or even the use of inadequate footwear leaving on the limited foot. In these cases, it causes the joints not to move what is necessary. That’s why we’ll also recommend barefoot training, taking advantage of all the basic motor skills of the human body.
The lack of movement is the main cause of most of the pathologies of the skeletal muscle system, and why? because because our body gets used to what it does, we are very good at adapting to the environment (hence the evolution of the human species). If you don’t give your whole body movement on all planes and axes it will be limited and the tissues will no longer be flexible producing restrictions on mobility, pain, and/or injuries. The union of these factors in advanced ages translates, for example, into the need to use a cane to walk. As much as we don’t think it’s urgent for young people, it’s just as important to prevent injuries and maintain our present and future quality of life.
We can conclude that mobility training must be based on MOVEMENT, and in case it is necessary to say, movement is life. Experiment with the body itself through new exercises that pose a challenge. If you want to keep your body healthy, age with the highest quality of life possible, and avoid pains and injuries don’t forget to train mobility and include it in your daily life.