What is flexibility?

What is flexibility?

Sports Definition: the capacity of a joint or muscle to move through its full range of motion.

Flexibility is needed to perform everyday activities with relative ease. To get out of bed, lift children, or sweep the floor, we need flexibility. Flexibility tends to deteriorate with age, often due to a sedentary lifestyle. Without adequate flexibility, daily activities become more difficult to perform. Over time, we create body movements and posture habits that can lead to reduced mobility of joints and compromised body positions. Staying active and stretching regularly help prevent this loss of mobility, which ensures independence as we age. Being flexible significantly reduces the chance of experiencing occasional and chronic back pain.

Tips

Avoid stretching so far that you can’t comfortably hold a position for at least 10 to 30 seconds. Holding it for any less time won’t properly lengthen your muscle. Also avoid bobbing or bouncing into a stretch or you risk injuring your muscle. Additionally, stay focused on stretching both sides of your body equally, regardless of whether you are right-hand or left-hand dominant. If you participate in an after-school activity such as ballet or basketball, ask your instructor to show you stretches that will improve your flexibility for improved performance in that area. For example, if you are a ballet dancer you may want to focus on lengthening the muscles in your thighs and calves