Why Is Range of Motion Important and How Can You Improve Yours?

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to move with ease and grace as they age, while others become stiff and struggle to get around? While genetics plays a role in how we age, range of motion (ROM) is one of the most crucial factors that determine how well we function as we age. Not only does a healthy range of motion help us move freely and with less effort, but it also reduces the risk of injury and enhances athletic performance. This article will highlight why range of motion is essential to help you maintain your independence, stay active, and reduce the aches and pains that come with aging.

To help you achieve your goals of moving freely, preventing injuries, and staying active at any age by maintaining a healthy range of motion, Pliability’s mobility app offers valuable tools and resources to get you there.

What Is Range of Motion?

The term "range of motion" (ROM) refers to the amount of movement that a particular joint or series of joints can achieve in a specific direction. It is also known as joint mobility or soft tissue mobility. Range of motion is a measure of joint functionality and flexibility.

For example, according to the CDC, a typical knee joint can flex between 133° and 153°. For your knee, this means being able to straighten it completely and bend it past 90 degrees toward your butt (about 135° fully). When you have a good range of motion in your shoulder, for instance, you should be able to do things like reach overhead and behind you, and rotate the arm down and up without pain.

Why Healthy Range of Motion Matters

It is essential to maintain a healthy range of motion to keep good posture, which in turn helps reduce stress on muscles, bones, and joints, as well as avoid injuries such as sprained ankles or wrists. For example, poor ROM in the elbows makes it challenging to lift something heavy from ground level up above head level and puts pressure on other parts of the body, such as the back and neck.

Studies show that a limited ROM adversely affects mental health, leading to depression. Therefore, maintaining a healthy range of motion is crucial for overall well-being.

How Is Range of Motion Measured?

Range of motion is typically expressed in degrees and can be an essential part of health assessments, particularly in physical therapy. Range of motion usually comes into play if you’ve injured a joint or are dealing with stiffness due to muscle tightness or conditions like arthritis. 

When the range of motion in a joint is limited, you might find certain activities more difficult, like having trouble putting a shirt on over your head, picking up something off the floor, tying your shoes, or getting up and down from the floor or a low chair.

What’s the Difference Between Active and Passive Range of Motion?

When it comes to range of motion, there are a few terms you’ll want to be familiar with:

• Flexion or bending
• Extension or often straightening
• Rotation or moving in a joint in a circular pattern
• Abduction or moving arms or legs away from the midline of the body (like when arms are in a T shape)
• Adduction or moving arms or legs toward the midline of the body (like hugging yourself)

Joint Movement and Injury Prevention

In the elbow joint, for example, range of motion refers to the extent to which an arm can be straightened (extension) and bent (flexion). The shoulder can move through several planes, allowing it to exhibit capabilities for flexion, extension, rotation, abduction, and adduction.

When you have a full range of motion in a joint, it allows you to perform various movements, such as reaching, bending, and rotating, with greater ease and efficiency. A good range of motion also helps protect against injuries, such as sprains and strains.

What Factors Affect Range of Motion?

Various factors can affect your ROM, such as muscle length, joint structure, and injuries or conditions. Conditions like arthritis can limit the range of motion due to joint stiffness. Sprains in ligaments and strains in tendons can also limit range of motion, as can conditions like tendinitis or bursitis.

For instance, if you sprain your knee, you may notice that you’re not able to bend or extend it as far as you usually would. A rotator cuff injury may limit the range of motion in your shoulder, making it more difficult to rotate your arm fully to put on a jacket, reach for items overhead, or lift something heavy.

How Inactivity Affects Range of Motion

Medical or mechanical conditions aside, a sedentary life resulting from a lack of exercise and movement can severely impact the range of motion. The age-old adage ‘use it or lose it’ applies to muscles, joints, and supporting tissues, especially as one progresses in age.

How Is Range of Motion Measured?

A range of motion measurement using a goniometer is often the first step taken by a physical therapist before beginning a physical therapy program. A goniometer consists of two arms hinged together at a single point. One is stationary and the other is movable.

Each arm is placed at a specific point of the body, with the center aligned at the joint where the measurement is being made. The therapist measures the ROM in degrees with the help of hash marks on the hinge. The PT measures three types of range of motion.

Active Range of Motion

When a patient actively moves his or her limb through its full range of motion without any assistance or discomfort, the movement contributes to active ROM. In case of a previous injury or limitation, the patient must also exhibit no signs of compensating for it as they move their limbs through their active ROM exercises.

In a therapy routine, AROM exercises aid muscle strengthening through active movement, promote flexibility of supportive tissue and tendons and thereby the joint, relieve pain and numbness, reverse or prevent muscle atrophy, promote the production of synovial fluid, keeping tendons pliable and cartilage in shape, trigger and strengthen neural connections via sensory stimulation, lift mood and increase general fitness, which improves overall life function.

Active Assistive Range of Motion 

Active assistive ROM is performed when a patient is in control of the movement but is unable to move a joint through its full range of motion.

In this case, the therapist uses gentle force to help the patient move the joint through its full range of motion. AAROM is used to build muscle strength and improve joint flexibility. This technique is employed during recovery from surgery or an injury when the body isn’t yet fully ready for normal movement.

Safe Progression of ROM Exercises

When injury or conditions like arthritis have severely limited mobility, the therapist may start with PROM and then progress to AAROM before the patient can perform AROM exercises. 

It is essential to note that the patient needs to be in control and comfortable with the degree of movement. Under no circumstances should the patient be pushed to a point of pain that may lead to muscle tears or joint damage.

Passive Range of Motion

Passive ROM is a technique where the patient is relaxed and the therapist moves a joint through its available range of motion, either manually or by using a continuous passive motion (CPM) machine. PROM exercises are used during the early phase of recovery from injury or surgery. 

Typically, PROM exercises help with the following:

• Reducing stiffness and spasticity in muscles
• Facilitating and improving joint mobility
• Preventing muscle sores and contractures 
• Promoting blood flow to the affected area 
• Nudging sensory stimulation between the brain and the affected area

Related Reading

• Body Awareness
• What is Functional Movement
• Functional Strength Training
• Does Yoga Help With Mobility
• How Long Does It Take to Improve Flexibility
• How to Fix Tight Hamstrings

Why is Range of Motion Important?

Range of motion is essential for developing a capable and adaptable body. Our joints are designed with specific ranges of motion in mind, and the bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons, and other connective tissues are all designed to support various types of movements.

When we train our joints to support these movements, we simultaneously train for mobility, stability, and strength. This is helpful both as a tool to rehabilitate our bodies from current aches and pains and as a preventive measure to keep our bodies feeling great for as long as possible.

Understanding Joint-Specific Range of Motion

Each part of the body is designed to support different ranges of motion depending on the shape and structure of the joints and connective tissues. For this reason, we need to chunk the body into major joint structures if we want to learn what’s possible for each area.

Keep in mind that what I’m about to share is but the smallest of introductions to this topic. I hope that this sparks your interest enough to continue your movement education and empowers you to assess current limitations and explore possible solutions.

The Feet & Ankles

We know that each foot has 26 bones and 33 joints. This enables a wide range of movements. The toes can work independently of the ankle (try wiggling your toes while keeping your ankle still), but every other joint in the foot is directly connected to the ankle, which means the ankle and foot often work together.

Here’s what range of motion is possible for the feet and ankles:

• To lift and lower the toes 
• To curl and stretch the toes 
• To move the big toe independently of all other toes
• To dorsiflex the ankle (draw the top of the foot to the shin) 
• To plantarflex the ankle (draw the heel to the calf)
• Invert the ankle (lift the big toe side of the ball to the inner knee) 
• Ever the ankle (lift the pinky toe side of the ball to the outer knee)

Exploring Your Range and Its Limits

If you tried all of these ranges while reading, you probably noticed that you’re able to do at least some of all of this. And still, the likelihood is that, unless you train your foot mobility often, you are underdeveloped in most, if not all, of these areas.

This is wonderful! It shows us what work there is to be done. Our potential range of motion ends when the joint can physically move no further because of its bone structure.

The Knee

The knee is often referred to as a hinge joint because that’s its primary function; it opens one way and then the other like a door. But the knee can also rotate when it’s bent.

This is an essential function. It requires adaptability because it sits between two highly mobile joints (the ankle and the hip), and it needs to be able to support our body and distribute forces evenly.

Improving Knee Flexion and Mobility

Because of its hinge structure, most of us have a good range of motion in our knees. If we can stand up with our knees straight, then our knees are capable of fully extending. If we can bend our knee to the point that we can bring our foot up to our butt behind us (with our hip in neutral), then we have full knee flexion.

It’s knee flexion that most of us need to develop. This is often achieved by stretching the muscles on the front of the leg and hip, and strengthening the muscles on the back of the leg to support the movement.

Training Knee Stability Through Movement

But because the knee also rotates, it’s also essential to train our knee’s ability to support various leg movements so that the structure doesn’t over-rotate when the ankles and hips are in various mobile positions. This can be accomplished by walking or running on uneven ground, playing group sports, practicing yoga with attention on knee tracking, etc.

The Hip

The hips are a ball and socket joint created by the head of the thigh bone plugging into a socket in each side of the pelvis. The thigh bone, which is the heaviest bone in the body, acts as a lever to move the pelvis in various positions.

When we discuss the range of motion in the pelvis, we refer to the movement of the thigh bone about the pelvis. Here’s what movements our thighs should be able to do:

• Flex (leg draws up from the hip joint towards the abdomen)
• Extend (leg draws behind the frame of the body)
• Externally rotate (the thigh bone rolls away from the midline of the body) 
• Internally rotate (thigh bone rolls toward midline of the body)
• Abduct (feet step wide apart)
• Adduct (feet step close together)
  

Depending on the shape of our thigh bone and hip socket, each person has a different maximum range of motion possible in the hips. Most of us are capable of developing our hip flexion to the point where the belly and thighs are in complete contact.

Hip extension is limited, with most skeletons typically tapping out between 0 and 15 degrees. External and internal rotation will also vary for each person, with most of us able to develop a relatively wide range of motion. This is also true with abducting and adducting.

The Spine

There are 26 or 33 vertebrae in the spine, depending on who you ask. The spine is naturally positioned in 5 sections: 

• Neck
• Mid/upper back (any vertebrae with a rib attached)
• Lower back
• Sacrum
• Tailbone

Each section of the spine has a different and opposite curve, which acts as shock absorption in the framework of our body.

Balancing Mobility Across the Spine

Each part of our spine is inherently more or less mobile, with varying degrees of range of motion possible. The neck and lower back are quite mobile and often require additional support on the front of the body to ensure they are well-positioned throughout our day.

The mid-back is less movable and less moved, which is why so much of spinal mobility is focused on this area. In general, spinal mobility exercises aim to distribute our spinal effort evenly throughout the spine, rather than allowing any one area to dominate a particular movement action. A healthy spine should be able to:

• Flex (bend over the legs) 
• Extend (bend backwards) 
• Laterally extend (reach over to the side) 
• Rotate

The Shoulder

The shoulder joint is similar to the hip joint, except the round bulbous end of the upper arm bone doesn’t sit into a snug socket like the pelvis. It attaches to a bone on the front of the chest (the collarbone) and a bone on the back of the shoulder (the shoulder blade).

This wider arrangement of bones gives the arm much more range of motion than the hip. The tradeoff is that the shoulder is also more unstable than the hip.

Building Functional Shoulder Mobility

When we train our shoulder mobility, we’re aiming to strengthen the muscles of our chest, arms, upper back, and upper side waist (located under the armpit) to support the range of motion. Our shoulder should be able to:

• Flex (reach overhead)
• Extend (reach down and behind)
• Adbuct (lift up and out to the side) 
• Adduct (lower by our sides) 
• Externally rotate (upper arm bones roll away from the midline of the body)
• Internally rotate (upper arm bones roll toward midline of body)
  

It should also be able to move in all different planes of movement, including in front of the body, diagonally, off to the side, behind, and in a diagonal direction, among others.

Isolating Shoulder Movement for True Mobility

As with developing the range of motion for any joint, it’s essential to train our shoulders’ ability to perform these actions without the help of the spine, ribs, or pelvis. When we go to take an arm overhead, our body adjusts all of our joints based on what is easiest to move at that time.

This might mean that as the arm tracks overhead, the ribs splay forward, the spine arches, and the pelvis spills forward. These joints have moved to help us achieve our goal of moving the arm overhead, but this doesn’t help us achieve our goal of developing our shoulder’s range of motion.

The Elbows

The elbows, like the knees, are mostly hinge joints. One of their significant actions is bending and straightening their arms. And, just like the knee joint, there is also a rotational property to the elbow.

The elbow can rotate the forearm about a full 180 degrees. Try hugging your elbows in by my side with my arms bent in front of you.

Strengthening Elbow Rotation and Stability

Without moving your upper arms, simply rotate your forearms so that your palms face up and then face down. For most skeletons, it’s possible to turn the palm completely, wholly, and upside down with the elbows fixed by my sides.

As you may recall, the knee requires additional stability and training to protect its vulnerable rotational structure. The elbow may also need this, especially when we use our arms to lift, pull, swing, carry, or bear weight. In this case, developing our range of motion may mean our ability to hold joint positions firmly as force is applied against them. 

Related Reading

• How to Get a Crook Out Your Neck
• Loss of Mobility
• How Does Flexibility Work
• Flexibility Gymnastics
• Are Women More Flexible Than Men
• What is the Impact of Age on Flexibility
• What is Passive Stretching

How Can I Improve or Maintain My Range of Motion?

To discover how to increase your ROM, we decoded the science behind it. We spoke to certified fitness trainer Nicole Thompson from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and Helen O'Leary, physiotherapist and Pilates instructor at Complete Pilates. Thompson says, “Range of motion can be defined as ‘the number of degrees through which an articulation will allow one of its segments to move’.” 

To gain a better understanding of this term, Thompson recommends considering the meaning of flexibility, as the two concepts are closely related. “Flexibility is the ‘ability to move joints through their normal full ranges of motion’,” Thompson tells us. “So typically, the more flexible you are, the better your range of motion. Essentially, ROM is a reflection of flexibility.”

How Do You Know Whether You Have a Good ROM?

“There is an ideal length of muscle fiber in which the muscle will function optimally,” Thompson says. “However, if the fibers are too short (or sometimes too long), that can cause stiffness in the muscle and therefore limit the range of motion a joint will have. If the muscle fibers are at an optimal length and have enough elasticity, the muscles will allow the joint to move to optimal degrees.”

As we’ve seen, maintaining good flexibility is super important, especially as we age. And the best flexibility exercises can help you stay on top of your ROM. 

Why Flexibility Fuels Range of Motion

As Thompson explains, “Range of motion is the result of flexibility. And flexibility is an essential component of fitness and one’s ability to perform activities of daily living. A flexibility routine can help improve ROM, reduce stiffness and injury, improve muscular function and can even improve your mood.”

Failing to maintain your flexibility can lead to health and well-being issues later on. Thompson tells us, “If there are muscle imbalances, as a result of altered muscles lengths/length-tension relationships around the joint, that alters the joint mechanics, which result in postural misalignments, faulty loading, and ultimately pain, injury, and/or compensation.”

How Can You Improve Your Range of Motion?

If done consistently and by a professional, massages can help increase your ROM. Thompson says, “Massage can help relax muscles by increasing blood flow to muscles, decreasing knots (which are believed to be inflammation or microtrauma to muscle fibers that can restrict ROM), and can help fascia be more pliable. Fascia is a connective tissue that covers all the body’s compartments like a web.” And research backs this point up. The Journal of Physical Therapy Science published a study which looked into the effect of massage therapy on the range of motion of the shoulder and concluded that massage therapy ‘significantly improved the shoulder range of motion, especially the flexion and abduction’. While a second review, published in Frontiers in Physiology, concurred, stating that even with just 15 minutes of massage, some increases in ROM were spotted.

Use of a Foam Roller

Foam rollers are a form of self-myofascial release technique that can be incorporated into a warm-up or recovery program.

Foam Rolling for Better Range of Motion

According to one review published in Frontiers in Physiology, foam rollers can also be used to ‘increase your ROM’ by performing simple back and forth movements over the roller to ‘exert mechanical pressures on soft tissues via the weight of the body (or the force of the upper limbs)’. 

And Thompson agrees, adding, “Myofascial release, whether done by foam rolling or massage, attempts to relieve tension and thus improve flexibility.”

Drinking More Water

We all know that drinking water is essential to our overall health. It’s believed that drinking plenty of water can also help increase your ROM.

How Hydration Supports Joint and Muscle Function

“Since water is present and needed in tendons, ligaments, and muscles, proper hydration can help optimize muscle performance,” Thompson says. “Water can also help lubricate joints and tissues so they can be more elastic.” A study published in the Journal of Human Kinetics revealed that hydration levels influence collagen fibers and might be responsible for the cause of stiffness. 

Thompson adds, “Conversely, it’s common to get muscle cramps (involuntary contracting/shortening of the muscle) when you are dehydrated. Muscle cramps usually indicate to endurance athletes that they need to replenish their water and electrolytes. Which further supports the idea of water contributing to muscle pliability.”

Stretching

One of the best ways to improve your ROM? By having a first-class stretching routine. According to Thompson, flexibility programs should include various forms of stretching, such as:

• Static stretching (which involves stretching a muscle to near its furthest point and then holding that position for at least 15 or 20 seconds).
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF). This is a passive form of stretch that requires contraction and relaxation of muscles to their limit against a prop or partner. 
• Myofascial release (using a foam roller).

Wondering where to start when it comes to your stretches? O'Leary recommends incorporating the following into your routine to target various areas of your body. 

Bouncing Roll Down

This will help you touch your toes more easily. O'Leary says, “Roll down towards the floor and let your arms hang, accepting that you probably aren’t touching the floor. Let one knee bend and keep the other straight to reach towards the floor. Lift your body up a little, switch knees and bounce back down again. Keep repeating 10 times before letting yourself hand and slowly coming back up. Try to keep the bounce smooth and not force anything.”

Cat Cow

This will stretch out your spine. O'Leary explains, “Get on all fours, tuck your tailbone under and allow your spine to arch towards the ceiling. Press into your hands to encourage your mid back to lift as well. From your tailbone, open your sit bones and let your spine go the other way into extension. try to keep pressing into your hands so that you don’t sag between them and lift your chest up and towards the ceiling. Keep your gaze somewhere in front of you so that you aren’t overextending your neck.”

Banded Dislocations

This stretch will tackle your shoulders and chest. O'Leary adds, “Hold onto the ends of a long band. The longer or lighter the band, the easier the movement will be. Take your hands up in front of you, pull apart and then go towards the ceiling and back behind you. Reverse the movement bringing them back up towards the ceiling and down in front of you. The more you pull apart the more you are likely to get round so make sure you find a place that is a challenge but possible without you bending your elbows.”

Related Reading

• What is Static Exercise
• Dynamic Movement
• Why Does Stretching Hurt
• Yoga Poses for Flexibility
• Hip Opening Yoga Poses
• Proprioception Exercises
• Neck Mobility Exercises
• Flexibility Goals Examples

Improve Your Flexibility with Our Mobility App Today | Get 7 Days for Free on Any Platform

Pliability offers a fresh take on yoga, tailored for performance-oriented individuals and athletes. Our app features a vast library of high-quality videos designed to improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion.

Personalized Mobility Training for Better Movement

Pliability offers daily-updated, custom mobility programs for individuals seeking to optimize their health and fitness. It also includes a unique body-scanning feature to pinpoint mobility issues. If you're feeling limited by pain or ability to move, Pliability aims to complement your existing fitness routine and help you move better.

Sign up today to get 7 days free on iPhone, iPad, Android, or on our website. Our mobility app helps improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion.

‍