It's normal to lose mobility as you age, particularly if you spend a lot of time sitting down. But a lack of mobility can cause your muscles and joints to get stiff, leading to aches and pains, so it's important to try and incorporate some exercises that train your active range of movement to offset this.
Fortunately, you don't have to spend hours doing mobility exercises to benefit from them. In fact, physiotherapist Sam Caddick recently shared an Instagram Reel of a routine that only takes ten minutes.
Caddick recommends doing this as a morning mobility routine, which is when a lot of people tend to feel most stiff. Plus, beginning with some movement is a great way to help you feel energized and ready for what the day has in store.
How to do Sam Caddick's morning mobility routine
You won't need any equipment for this routine, just something to lift your heels off the floor for the squats. Caddick uses a folded towel to raise his heels, but a cushion would also work.
There are seven movements in this routine and Caddick demonstrates exactly how to do them in his Instagram Reel, with details of how many reps to do in the caption. Caddick asks you to hold certain positions for five seconds, watch the video for details.
The benefits of morning mobility
Although doing these mobility exercises should provide some immediate relief for any stiffness you're experiencing, you'll need to practise these moves regularly to improve your mobility.
Doing them first thing in the morning is a good strategy for making working on your mobility a habit, because unexpected calls on your time can make it all too easy to skip if you wait until lunch or after work.
If you keep up this mobility routine, and others like it, you can expect to experience less stiffness and achiness in areas like your lower back, hips and shoulders. Plus, you'll reduce your risk of injury and falls, and your joints and muscles will be much healthier. For some variety, try adding in these hip stretches and hip-strengthening exercises, which will keep your lower-body feeling limber.
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