Mobility - Stability Continuum

*Cette vidéo est sous-titrée en français. Soft-tissue release is not mobility! That’s my starting statement… Mobility is a very popular term in this functional training era. Yet, what we see on social media to improve mobility is often smashing with a ball, a barbell, a kettlebell, a foam roller, even a massage gun. I often wonder what’s next that we can mash ourselves with? Granted, these and other soft-tissue or myofascial methods usually provide instant results in terms of increasing range. That may be why they’re so popular…everyone is impressed by immediate results – before and after – woaaaaah. We must understand that there are several components to mobility: flexibility, joint range of motion, motor control. A definition of mobility I really like is: the ability to move or be moved freely. I like the fact that this definition distinguishes between moving and being moved, because these are two distinct capacities. To reinforce efficient movement patterns, you have to be able to move efficiently. Limitations in movement that come from poor soft-tissue quality are a significant barrier to movement quality and need to be addressed if we hope to move more efficiently. But this only addresses and improves the capacity to “be moved”. In their systematic literature review on the effects of myofascial rolling (either using a foam roller or tiger tail tool), Hughes and Ramer (2019) found that most studies (10 out of 17 studies reviewed) reported an increase in acute range of motion but that these results varied between subjects. Furthermore, results do not support long-term increases in range of motion. The effect of soft tissue work on range of motion can open up a window of opportunity, as it removes these barriers to movement. However, there is an active component to mobility that needs to be addressed, because mobility and stability are intrinsically linked. Once we have opened up range of motion, it is imperative to work within that range to gain awareness and control. This creates stability within that new range and stability must be present in order for mobility to be maintained in the long term. To learn how to efficiently integrate all of these concepts into your programming, check out our Movement Optimization for Prehab and Performance Course by heading to https://rehab-u.com using the link below. https://rehab-u.com/blog/why-foam-rol... For more videos on training fundamentals and rehab, be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube at the link below and don’t forget to turn on your notifications so you never miss a new video when it’s published. Want to pick my brain? Drop your questions in a comment