One component of fitness that too many people ignore is flexibility, the ability to move joints through their full range of motion. Muscles, tendons, ligaments, and the capsule that surrounds the joint all play a role in how flexible a joint is.
Why is flexibility important? People who are naturally more flexible will enjoy a healthier lifestyle and a higher quality of life–which translates to more energy, better health, less stress, and greater functionality.
By now you’re probably wondering what determines how flexible a person is? Let’s look at some factors that determine whether you have amazing flexibility or can barely touch your toes.
Age
If you’ve ever watched children at play, you might have noticed how flexible they are. They can curl up in the tiniest ball on the ground, then roll right back up and jump around with their friends. While we often think of flexibility as an attribute reserved for children, but it’s also possible for adults to enjoy this freedom. In fact, there are many benefits of being more flexible as an adult.
Unfortunately, you lose some of that childhood flexibility as the years go by. With age, muscles become less elastic, and we lose the ability to move in ways that require a full range of motion. This makes it harder to do everyday tasks, like tying your shoes or washing the dishes.
But it’s not just your muscles that become stiff over the years. Other soft tissues — including tendons, ligaments, and even cartilage becomes stiffer too. Stiffness makes it harder to move your muscles as efficiently. This makes it more challenging to move your body with the same freedom that you once did.
Gender
Gender is another factor that affects flexibility. Women are naturally more flexible than men. One reason may be that women do more activities that involve stretching, such as yoga and ballet. One study found that women have a higher tolerance for stretch, meaning their muscles will stretch further before their nervous system signals that the muscle is overstretched. Men and women also differ slightly in the “viscoelastic” properties of their muscles too and this gives women greater flexibility. Therefore, women have an advantage in terms of flexibility.
Genetics
Just as some people are stronger or faster than others – some people are more flexible. As you might expect, certain sports like gymnastics and ballet attract people who are naturally more flexible. Some people are gifted with greater flexibility, but anyone can improve how flexible they are by staying physically active and through a consistent stretching program. So, don’t assume you’re stuck with a lack of flexibility. Lifestyle habits can make a big difference, particularly exercise.
Movement is one of the most effective ways to help maintain flexibility in your muscles. One study found that more active people had stronger and less stiff muscles than those who weren’t as active. During exercise, your muscles lift, move, twist, and bend your body in new ways. Your muscles become more flexible, and your joints become more mobile.
Muscle Imbalances
Here’s one you might not have considered. Many people have muscle imbalances and aren’t aware of it. Muscle imbalances not only increase the risk for injury – but also reduce flexibility.
What exactly is a muscle imbalance? The term muscle imbalance describes a condition where the muscles are weak or tight on one side of the body, while muscles on the opposite side are too powerful or too stretched out. For example, strong biceps muscles with weak triceps muscles, the opposing ones, creates a muscle imbalance. Muscle imbalances can lead to problems such as joint stiffness, back pain, and sciatica. It also limits athletic performance.
What should you do if you have a muscle imbalance? Work on strengthening and increasing the range of motion of the weaker muscle group. This will help balance between the opposing muscles. When you strength train, do as many “pulling” exercises as you do “pushing” exercises and work the opposing muscles when you train. For example, when you do biceps curls, make sure you’re doing triceps extensions to strengthen your triceps, the opposing muscles. Many people don’t train in a balanced manner and it creates problems.
Temperature
Temperature affects muscle flexibility too. Warm joints and muscles are more flexible ones. That’s why raising your body temperature through light exercise before lifting weights is so important. Doing at least a five-minute warm-up before a workout increases the temperature of the muscles and joints, you’ll be working. This enhances the flexibility of your muscles and improves your performance. If you’re inflexible or have had injuries in the past, the minutes you spend warming up is time well spent. Skimping on this important step could lead to an injury that keeps you from working out for weeks.
The Bottom Line
Now you know some of the factors that affect flexibility. Now, it’s time to take action. Having a healthy, flexible body isn’t something you can buy from a store like the latest iPhone or Android, and it’s not something that comes with age. Taking care of your health is all about being proactive. Make sure you’re staying mobile, taking breaks from sitting, and stretching after a workout. Stretch when you wake up in the morning and at least once throughout the day and be consistent about it. Stay physically active throughout the day and don’t spend too much time sitting. Doing these things will help you stay as flexible as possible.
References:
- Hoge KM, Ryan ED, Costa PB, Herda TJ, Walter AA, Stout JR, Cramer JT. Gender differences in musculotendinous stiffness and range of motion after an acute bout of stretching. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Oct;24(10):2618-26. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e73974. PMID: 20885189.
- UCDavis.edu. “Flexibility | UC Davis Sports Medicine”
- Rayamajhi S, Dhakshinamoorthy P, Raghuveer R, Khanal D. Comparison between males and females on the effect of PNF hold relax stretching over rectus femoris flexibility. Nepal Med Coll J. 2014 Dec;16(2-4):186-9. PMID: 26930743.
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