Mobility Exercise Program

Today we will review a mobility program that can be completed at home to address any stiffness or tightness you may be experiencing. These exercises focus on active range of motion, with the goal of improving both flexibility and control at each joint. The movements allow you to achieve more functional mobility as compared to traditional, static stretching of muscles.

Each exercise should be completed as a slow and controlled movement through your greatest, pain free range of motion. Avoid any sharp pain or pinching sensations. Detailed instructions for each joint are below. Please reach out to us with any questions!

Neck

Draw your chin down towards your chest. Rotate your chin towards one shoulder as far as you can. Do not side bend or hike your shoulder up towards your ear as you rotate your head.

Draw your chin up, looking up to the ceiling, and rotate chin towards the opposite shoulder. Return to the starting position.

Repeat 3-5 times in one direction and then complete in opposite direction.

Shoulder

Start by bringing your arm overhead with palm facing in towards your body. As you approach your ear, rotate your arm so that your palm is facing out. From this point reach your arm behind you. Continue rotating back and around until your arm returns to your side. Your palm should still be facing out at the end position. Do not rotate your trunk or hike your shoulder during the movement. Keep your elbow straight the entire time.

Repeat 3-5 times in one direction, then reverse, starting with your palm facing out and reaching behind you.

Spine

Start on your hands and knees, with your hands lined up underneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Draw your spine up one segment at a time, raising your belly button up towards the ceiling. Tuck your chin in towards your chest at the top. Once you have reach the top, slowly lower one vertebrae at a time, lowering your belly button towards the ground, creating an arch in your back.

Thoracic: focus on moving your upper back and the area between your shoulder blades.

Lumbar: focus on moving your lower back, from your hips and lower abdominals.

Repeat 20 times, up and down counting as one repetition.

Hip

Start on your hands and knees, with your hands lined up underneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Draw one knee up towards your elbow as far as you can. Keeping your knee bent, lift your leg out to the side. Without letting your knee drop towards the ground, draw your knee around until your leg is behind you. Keep your foot centered above your knee the entire time and return to the starting position.

For the reverse direction, start by kicking your leg back and up with your knee bent. Without letting your knee drop towards the ground, rotate your leg out to the side and lower down to return to the starting position. Avoid excessive movement of your spine during this exercise.

Repeat 3-5 times in each direction.

This can also be completed in a standing position. Be sure to hold on to a counter or table for balance.