Get Up and Be Active: 4 Things You Can Do to Improve Mobility
Did you know that as many as 61 million U.S. adults live with a disability? Mobility disability, in turn, affects 13.7% of these individuals. Their disability is severe enough to make walking and climbing stairs difficult.
The good news is that are several ways to maintain and even improve mobility, no matter how old or young you are.
Below, we’ve shared the top strategies for staying mobile and on your feet, so read on.
1. Develop Correct Posture
Posture refers to how a person holds their body when moving and when still. Depending on a person’s posture, it can align or misalign the musculoskeletal system.
A misaligned musculoskeletal system, over time, can become more fragile and injury-prone. It’s also among the most common causes of chronic back pain in the U.S., affecting 72.3 million people. Such pain conditions, in turn, impair mobility because they make most if not all, movement hurt.
Thus, proper posture is one of the best ways to improve flexibility and mobility. This involves maintaining the natural curves of your spine: the neck, mid back, and low back. Also, keep your head just above your shoulders, while the top of your shoulders should be just above the hips.
2. Perform Dynamic Stretching Exercises
Dynamic stretches move your joints and muscles and put their full range of motion to use. They also usually mimic the movements of the activity you’re about to perform. Thus, they’re ideal additions to your sports or mobility training regimen.
Dynamic stretches can also help you warm up before a more rigorous exercise routine.
Arm and hip circles are examples of dynamic stretches, mimicking swimming movements. Another is the leg pendulum exercise, which is a perfect pre-run warmup exercise.
3. Never Disregard Nutrition
Weak, wasting, or overused muscles and joints are stiff and painful. As a result, they have impaired movement, further causing them to weaken.
By contrast, healthy muscles and joints allow you to use your body’s full range of motion. But for them to be healthy, you must consume enough lean protein.
Remember: Protein is the building block of muscle. For example, each skeletal muscle consists of about 80% of protein.
Joints also need protein, as they consist of muscles, too. Their other components include bone, cartilage, and collagen. Many protein sources, such as meat and fish, have the nutrients needed to build healthy joints.
4. Consider Physical Therapy
Physical therapy (PT) is a rehabilitative treatment often used to treat existing injuries. It’s also a common management strategy for conditions like arthritis.
PT aims to reduce pain, improve mobility, and prevent injury due to restricted motion. For these reasons, range-of-motion exercises are staples of PT programs.
Your therapist may also suggest electrical stimulation or ultrasound therapy. These therapeutic modalities can help minimize pain and boost muscle function. To top it off, you can enjoy all these benefits at home through at-home PT sessions.
Improve Mobility With These Tips
Remember: A disability, including impaired mobility, can raise your risk of mental distress. It can also make you more susceptible to future injuries. For example, having difficulty climbing stairs increases your odds of experiencing a fall.
Those are good enough reasons to improve mobility, regardless of how young or healthy you are. However, the sooner, the better, as it can help you train your body to age healthily and with grace.
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