Maintaining Mobility: Strategies for Aging Well

The debate between mobility and stability in the fitness world may have left you wondering which one to prioritize, but according to Kelly Starrett, DPT, founder of The Ready State, it’s more important to focus on accessing your natural range of motion and controlling movement through those ranges. Starrett, along with his wife Juliet, emphasizes the significance of maintaining range of motion (ROM) throughout life.
Just like a spacious hallway that narrows with age if not maintained, our native ROM tends to diminish over time due to factors like injury and disease. Our ability to move freely and perform daily tasks is directly influenced by ROM and mobility. Lack of exposure to the full range of motion can lead to limitations, pain, and injury, affecting stability and ease of movement.
To address this, Starrett suggests incorporating targeted movements into daily routines to train the joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and brain to work harmoniously. This doesn’t necessarily require a gym or class; simple at-home mobilization practices can be effective. For instance, sitting on the ground for 30 minutes a day and changing positions frequently can expose the body to different ranges of motion. Walking at least 8,000 steps daily is also recommended.
By prioritizing the range of motion, we can maintain a “movement hallway” that allows us to navigate life with ease as we age. Our ability to move doesn’t have to decline—it’s a controllable aspect of our well-being.
Re-reported from the article originally published in Well + Good