Flexibility and Mobility: What’s the Difference?

The word “flexibility” comes from Latin and means “bendability.” In a sports context, the word is best illustrated with an example. Imagine you’re learning to do the splits. If you want to be able to do the splits, you’ll probably think of stretching right away. And that’s exactly what flexibility is all about. Flexibility is the passive range of motion of your soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia). If you want to learn a classic “women’s split,” you’ll need flexibility primarily in the back of your thighs and in your hip flexors.

Flexibility is passive. So when you’re doing flexibility training, you always rely on an external force to help you reach your final position. This external force can be gravity, another person, or an aid like a yoga strap. Your muscles passively allow the movement to happen.

Some people can twist themselves into a pretzel, while others can barely tie their shoelaces without help. How flexible you are depends on various factors.

Factors that influence flexibility:

• Joint structure: Your body has different types of joints. Some have a greater range of motion than others. The ball-and-socket joint in your shoulder has significantly more degrees of freedom than the hinge joint in your elbow.
• Age and gender: Flexibility decreaseswith age. Similarly, women are generally more flexible than men due to their body structure. Regardless of age and gender, targeted flexibility training can improve flexibility.
• Time of Day & Temperature: Have you ever noticed that your body feels stiffer in the morning? The reason for this is that you’ve barely moved for hours while sleeping. Temperature also affects our flexibility. You’ve probably noticed that you’re more flexible during the hot summer months than in winter.
• Connective Tissue: Fascia , tendons, ligaments, and joint capsules all affect flexibility. The ability of different body tissues to glide smoothly over one another influences our flexibility. Scar tissue generally restricts the range of motion.
• Muscle mass: Large muscles can limit freedom of movement. A bodybuilder is usually less flexible than a lean martial artist.
• Lifestyle & Activity Level: People who lead an active lifestyle are usually more flexible than couch potatoes or people who sit in an office chair all day.

Your body is highly adaptable. It adjusts depending on the external conditions it’s exposed to. If you don’t move enough or your movements are too one-sided, you’ll become stiff. If a muscle can’t relax and stretch sufficiently, it limits your mobility. We’ve already discussed that flexibility training is part of mobility. You can improve your flexibility primarily through stretching. There are various types of stretching exercises and methods. In this section, we’ll take a closer look at the most important ways to improve your flexibility.

• Static Stretching
  The best-known type of stretching is static stretching. To do this, you assume a position in which you feel a stretch in the muscle. You then hold this position for 20, 30, 60 seconds, or longer. Research shows that a static stretch must be held for at least 2 minutes to produce structural changes in the tissue. For example, when you stand and try to touch your toes with your fingers, you’re performing a static stretch on the backs of your legs. Static stretching before exercise is not recommended because it can reduce your strength and performance output, as one study shows. Static stretches are best done after a workout or in between sessions. You may feel slight discomfort during the stretch, but it should not be painful.

• Dynamic Stretching
  Dynamic stretches are exercises in which the joints are moved through their full range of motion, thereby promoting blood flow to the muscles and connective tissue. For this reason, they are suitable for performing before a workout. A study published in the journal *Sports Medicine* suggests that dynamic stretching before a workout can improve performance. Classic dynamic stretching exercises include leg swings and arm circles.
  

The term “mobility” in a sports context can be explained using the example of a squat. Imagine you have enough flexibility in your ankles and hips to perform a squat. Does that automatically mean you can perform a proper squat? No, because a well-executed deep squat requires more than just flexibility. The fact that you can perform a squat is thanks to your central nervous system (CNS). Information is received, processed, and translated into movement.

So what does mobility mean? Mobility is the ability to actively control a movement across a specific range of motion. It enables perfect coordination between muscles, joints, and the central nervous system.

You don’t really need a high level of mobility to do the splits because it’s a static hold. However, if you actively move a joint through a certain range of motion—as in a squat—you can’t do it without a certain degree of mobility. At least not in a way that allows you to perform the movement without compensating.

Mobility therefore includes flexibility, but the reverse is not true. The key to greater performance and better movement quality is mobility. Flexibility alone is not enough.

Factors That Influence Mobility

• The ability of soft tissue to stretch
• The ability of joint surfaces to glide smoothly against one another
• The nervous system’s ability to relax and allow movement
• The neuromuscular system, which is responsible for optimal muscle activation

Why is mobility training important?

Passive stretching alone does not increase the active range of motion. Regular stretching is therefore not enough to prevent injuries or compensate for a lack of mobility. A person with good mobility is able to perform functional movement patterns without restriction. Movement is efficient and free of compensation. The range of motion is sufficient, and neuromuscular control allows the movement to be performed in a controlled manner. Whether you’re an athlete or an everyday mover, you need mobility to move efficiently. This helps you prevent injuries and other musculoskeletal issues. It also boosts your performance.