Why Hip and Ankle Mobility Are So Important

Here is how each joint within our body should function.

繚 Ankle should be mobile

繚 Knee should be stable

繚 Hip should be mobile

繚 Lumber spine should be stable

繚 Thoracic spine should be mobile

繚 Scapula should be stable

繚 Gleno-humeral should be mobile

If the joints that are supposed to be mobile are not then the joints that are supposed to be stable will not be stable they will be used as if they are mobile.

Can you see the problem; the joints that are not supposed to be mobile are being used as if they are. This will create pain.

When we lose ankle mobility, we get knee pain

When we lose hip mobility, we get back pain

We know that these should be mobile, so why do they become immobile for so many people?

Basically this is because the ankle and the hip are not used. We wear shoes that stop are feet from adapting to different surfaces so they don't need to be mobile and we sit down all day with no movement through the hips while are lower back gets ridiculously tight and makes your hips stable.

When the ankle is no longer mobile, instead of taking the impacts of connecting with the earth it sends the impact to the knee instead and the same happens with the hips, the impact is sent to the lumbar spine.

So these areas take the impacts intended for other joints and so it causes pain.

So how can you become mobile again?

It is as simple as moving the joint the way it was intended. However if you haven't mobilised your ankles and hips for a while, most likely the joint will now be compressed. What I mean by this is the joints are jammed together and will seem like there cemented in place.

So you need to decompress the joint, basically remove the two joints away from each other slightly so the joints have more room to move around. I would advise you get a specialised in kinetic chain assessment to do this for you. Once this is done you will find that it is a lot easier to move the joint and mobility drills will be far more effective.

To mobilise the ankle, start by moving the foot in an up and down motion, pointing the toes up and then pointing them down. Next draw circles with your foot rotating through the ankle joint go one way and then the other and then to finish with shake the foot off as if it has water on it.

To mobilize the hip joint, imagine you are hoola hoping and take your hips round in big circles trying to push the hips all the way forwards, backwards and out to the sides. Next tilt the pelvis up at the front and then down at the back. This will start to get your hips mobile again

Here is a quick video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ucyelm7nrgo

That shows a quick mobility drill I advise my personal training clients in Manchester to perform before exercise.

Have a go, get mobile and reduce knee and back pain.

Harry Pointon

Manchestercitypersonaltrainer.com