Have you ever said to yourself,
Gosh, I wish I was more flexible!
It is not that uncommon to wish for more flexibility whenever we feel tight, tense, or stuck. But what if flexibility is the VERY LAST thing that we need?
Moving well and remaining injury-free depends on joint stability and mobility.
We'll take a look at the importance of joint stability today, and discuss the virtues of joint mobility the week after.
Joint stability is the ability to control the position of the joint during movement.
Joint stability relies on muscles located closer to the joint: rotator cuff around the shoulder blade is one example; bottom of the quad close to the knee cap is another. And, of course, the deep muscles around the pelvis and hip girdle - that's the familiar tune for folk in Core Restore classes.
We start getting into trouble when these deeper lying and often small muscles forget to show up for work.
Here is what happens:
Firstly, when the primary - proper muscles - joint stabilization system is out of sorts, our body starts to rely on the secondary system - the ligaments. Ligamental tears (especially common in shoulders, knees, and ankles) occur when the ligaments are overloaded and doing the job that the muscles were meant to do. For example, strained ligaments around SI joints are often a large factor in chronic low back, hip, and sciatic pain.
Secondly, instability is a big red flag for the nervous system.
Once the joint has been red flagged, the nervous system will attempt to stabilize it by all means possible - including swelling and tension in the bigger muscles closer to the surface of the body. This tension can compress the joint in question, creating friction and wear and tear in the joint.
Thirdly, the combination of an unstable joint and tension in the larger muscles can strain the nerves passing through the area, creating potential hot spots for referred pain.
Stretching is a useful tool - it provides temporary relief.
Ball work is melty, marvelous, and can feel like an instant cure, for sure.
Yet neither one of these is a long-term solution that can help us to move more, and to move with more confidence and ease.
Getting more flexible does not help if joint instability is at the root of our movement troubles. Flexibility with no proper muscle control is more a liability. Understanding that lack of flexibility can be a symptom of joint instability is the beginning of long-term relief.
More next week!
