Different joints of our bodies have different roles and responsibilities. One of those is to allow mobility or create stability. The ultimate goal of having this mobility/stability relationship is to create postural stability throughout the kinetic chain without sacrificing mobility throughout the chain.
Joint mobility is defined as the degree to which an articulation(where two bones meet) can move before being restricted by surrounding tissues. Otherwise known as the range of uninhibited movement around a joint.
Joint stability is defined as the ability to maintain or control joint movement or position. Stability is achieved by coordinating actions of surrounding tissues and the neuromuscular system.
If the correct role for a particular joint is inhibited, people will start to exhibit movement compensation patterns which often times leads to injuries.
Here is a quick snapshot of some of the articulations of the body and which role they favor.
Ankle – favors mobility
Knee – favors stability
Hip – favors mobility
Lumbar spine- favors stability
Thoracic spine – favors mobility
Scapulothoracic joint – favors stability
Glenohumeral joint(shoulder) – favors mobility
Today we are looking at the hip. The hip joint favors mobility. If the hip loses mobility, increased or unbalanced forces are produced at the knees and lumbar spine. These forces can lead to several different types of knee and back dysfunctions.
To avoid losing mobility at the hip, perform hip movement exercises daily.
There are many movements that you can do to improve hip mobility.
In our experience it is best to work all of the motions and pay particular attention to the motions that you feel tight or restricted in.
Attached are a few of our favorite ones that address the most common restrictions. Keep in mind that these are movements and not stretches!
If you feel that mobility or stability issues may be causing you pain, call Synergy’s Sports Medicine team at 906-228-7600 and set up a free consultation.
☆ ☆ Many of our services are now covered by some insurance companies with a Physician’s prescription.