Exercises for Mobility and Functional Strength

One of the big joys of my life over the past several years has been the gradual but lasting improvement that I have experienced in my overall mobility.

I was quite active athletically throughout my youth, but for most of my 20s and until I hit about 35, grad school, building 3 clinics, and creating our website had me working almost non-stop, leaving very little time to care for my physical health. Read more

What follows is a suggested routine that most people can do over 20 to 30 minutes on a daily basis to improve overall mobility and functional strength. Please keep the following tips in mind:

• Let your body be your guide - only try movements that you feel capable of doing without hurting yourself. Even a few inches of movement (amplitude) and one or two repetitions of any of the exercises below will lead to some benefit.

There are very few activities of daily living that require us to use our innate capacity for shoulder extension - that is, to actively use our arms while they are behind us. This translates to having short biceps, brachialis, and pectoralis minor muscles, which predispose us to elbow and shoulder issues, including golfer's elbow, tennis elbow, and shoulder impingement syndrome.

For this reason, it's best that we include shoulder extension exercises in our self care programs. Read more