Whether you’re new to exercise or a seasoned gym pro, you’ll want to know how to improve your flexibility. Elastic joints will not only help prevent injury, but also allow you to maintain a full range of motion as you age.
The good news is that it is possible to improve your flexibility, so if you struggle to touch your toes, don’t despair. You can do yoga and pilates, for example, and use blocks, straps, etc best yoga mats (opens in a new tab) to help you master postures and improve your reach.
But there are other ways to increase range of motion, including stretching and foam rolling, so we asked physical therapists how you can measure and improve your flexibility.
Why is flexibility important?
“If you lack flexibility in the movement you’re trying to perform, other muscles have to activate to compensate for the lack of flexibility, and this can lead to injury,” says physiotherapist Phil Evans.
Phil Evans is lead physiotherapist at Urban Body, UK. In 2008, he obtained a Masters in Physiotherapy from the University of Birmingham. He has over ten years of experience treating a variety of injuries and working with professional sports organizations.
“By stretching your muscles, you’re counteracting the overworked muscles, which means you’ll have a greater range of motion as well as more control over that motion.
“You’ll also likely improve your posture and reduce any aches and pains you may be suffering from. No matter what movement you’re doing, you can perform it better and feel better when your muscles are more flexible.”
What’s a good way to measure your flexibility?
There are a number of different flexibility tests, but three of the most important are the shoulder stretch, the trunk raise test, and the sit and reach test. We asked Chartered Physiotherapist Cathy Napton to explain.
Cathy Neptune is the founder of Physio Fast Online. She is a Chartered Physiotherapist with over 30 years’ experience in musculoskeletal care in the NHS and most recently in her own private practice in West Sussex.
Shoulder stretching
“The person being tested reaches one arm over the shoulder and down the back, and the other arm reaches up and back to try to touch the fingers,” says Knapton. “The distance between the hands or the amount of overlap is then measured.”
Trunk lift test
“The person being tested lies prone on the floor, face down, lifts their upper body off the floor and holds that position,” says Knapton. “Then the height of the chin to the floor is measured. It tests not only flexibility, but also strength.’
Sit and reach test.
“There are many variations of this test, but the simplest and easiest to evaluate is simply bending at the hips to touch the floor while keeping the knees straight,” says Knapton. “The distance from the floor is then measured or the extent to which the hand touches the floor is noted.
“The more well-known method is when it is performed sitting with the legs extended and straight (8 to 12 inches apart) while the person being tested reaches forward with their arms folded. The distance traveled is measured by a line marked on the floor.’
Four ways to improve your flexibility
Consistency is key if you want to improve your flexibility. You may need to try new exercises or introduce some stretching into your regular workout routine. Here’s what experts recommend.
1. Do Pilates
“Pilates is a fantastic way to get you more flexible and basically involves stretching on the mats,” says Evans. “It improves your core strength and stress levels and has a huge impact on your flexibility. Core strength in particular is vital for good range of motion, especially as we age, so Pilates is an ideal way to work on this.’
A study published in Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity (opens in a new tab) showed that core strength training can improve flexibility and dynamic balance in sedentary individuals. Results from a six-week core strength training program showed significant improvements in lumbar and lateral flexion flexibility, as well as overall dynamic balance.
2. Start foam rolling
You can combine foam rolling with strength training after your workout. But research shows that it can also be an effective tool for increasing flexibility and thus improving performance as it helps reduce muscle knots in the tissues.
A study published in Frontiers in Physiology (opens in a new tab) attempted to determine changes in performance, flexibility, and muscle soreness both before and after foam rolling.
This showed that foam rolling was an effective strategy for short-term improvements in flexibility and did not reduce overall muscle performance.
3. Try yoga
“Yoga relies on improving your strength, flexibility and breathing through a series of increasingly difficult stretches,” says Evans.
Study of art International Journal of Yoga (opens in a new tab) showed that participants who practiced biweekly yoga for 10 weeks saw significant increases in their flexibility and balance, specifically shoulder flexibility and seated gait.
“Yoga is also designed to improve your mental well-being as well as strengthen your health,” adds Evans.
4. Do stretching before and after training
In addition to more general types of exercise, you can try introducing specific stretches before or after your workout. We asked Evans for some examples.
Posture of the child
This focuses on the glutes, back, thighs, ankles and shoulders, allowing more movement in these areas when done regularly:
- Start on all fours (hands and knees).
- Lower your buttocks back onto your heels.
- Extend your arms forward, lowering your head between your shoulders to the floor. You will feel this stretch through your back and upper arms.
- Hold the stretch for 60 to 90 seconds.
Posture of a pigeon
This stretch opens up the hips and relaxes the lower back:
- Start on all fours (hands and knees).
- Bring your right knee forward and externally rotate your hip as much as possible.
- Place your foot on the mat and lower your chest to the floor as far as possible. You will feel this stretch through your right buttock/thigh.
- Hold the stretch for 60-90 seconds.
- Repeat for the left thigh.
