Flexibility: If You Don’t Use It, You Lose It

Flexibility is one of those things we tend not to think about… until we lose it.

Watching young children move effortlessly, touching their toes, bending, forward rolling, or squatting deeply, often leaves us reminiscing, thinking, “those were the days!” While it’s true that age plays a role in reduced flexibility, it’s not the whole story.

The simple reality is this: if you don’t use it, you lose it.

What Contributes to Reduced Flexibility?

Natural Change with Age

Yes, aging naturally brings physical changes. Our connective tissues alter, and elastin (the protein that keeps our tissues stretchy) reduces. These changes will impact flexibility over time. However, they don’t account for all of it.

A Cultural Perspective

Look at other cultures worldwide. Elderly individuals from certain cultures can comfortably squat with their feet flat on the ground, a movement most Western adults struggle with. The difference? They’ve kept doing it. Consistently performing natural movements throughout life helps maintain flexibility. Conversely, in many Western societies, we gradually stop doing these movements, allowing our bodies to adapt to more sedentary or supported postures.

The Problem with Sustained Postures

One of the biggest contributors to flexibility loss is sustained postures. If you spend too much time in one position, your body adapts to it.

For example:

• Sitting for long periods can cause certain muscles, like hip flexors, to tighten. Meanwhile, opposing muscles, such as glutes, weaken, creating muscle imbalances.
• Forward sitting posture can lead to tight shoulders and a stiff back, making natural movements feel restricted.

Modern lifestyles demand a lot of sitting, whether it’s at a desk, in front of the TV, or while commuting. Over time, persistent postures take their toll.

Want a quick explanation of what happens to your body with sustained posture? Check out this quick video, it’s a real eye-opener.

Other Contributing Factors

Here are other significant contributors that may reduce your flexibility:

• Modern Lifestyle Habits
  Things like sitting on chairs, using toilets instead of squatting, driving cars, or relying on supermarkets rather than natural food foraging all limit the variety of movements we do daily.
• Post-Injury or Surgery
  Injuries or surgeries, especially when followed by inadequate rehabilitation, can lead to restricted movement patterns.
• Sedentary Lifestyles
  Minimal physical activity reduces the body’s need to move joints through a full range of motion. 
• Body Composition
  Excess body fat can physically obstruct movements, limiting mobility and range of motion.

What’s Next?

If any of this resonates don’t worry, we’ll explore this topic further next week as we discuss the consequences of reduced flexibility on the body. But for now, one thing is clear: flexibility isn’t just something we lose to age. It’s something we should nurture by keeping our bodies moving, challenging our postures, and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.