Flexibility Is Often Unappreciated Until It's Gone

When flexibility decreases, the ease of a simple life begins to fade. A casual reach for an overhead item is met with unexpected effort, turning in your seat to check traffic feels stiff and restricted, and bending down for a dropped key produces a jarring flash of tightness.

Flexibility helps you to sustain independence as you age. I've watched people lose their ability to live independently not because of major injuries or diseases, but because they gradually stopped moving through full ranges of motion. Their world physically shrank because their body's capabilities prematurely diminished.

Flexibility training prevents that decline before it starts. Consistent mobility work improves circulation, reduces injury risk, and keeps your joints functional.

The body adapts to whatever you ask of it. If you only move within a limited range every day, that limited range becomes your new normal. Your nervous system stops allowing movements you don't regularly perform. Integrating practical mobility protocols into your routine such as stretching (static and dynamic), foam rolling, and yoga or Tai Chi exercises can help you maintain flexibility and preserve your quality of life as you age.