About Range of motion

Movement is the only way you have of affecting the world around you.

Daniel Wolpert

Range of Motion is considered to be the amount of movement around a specific joint or body part. There are three types of ROM that are measured: passive (PROM), active-assistive (AAROM) and active (AROM). One of the benefits of Yoga is that it helps in maintaining and improving range of motion in our joints. Latest research shows how a sustainable and constant Yoga practice can lead to a better ROM in time and improved mobility of the body, as well as reduced inflammation in the body around the joints. The joints play a major role in everyone’s ROM and generally, it is not something that can be taken for granted; several factors can lead to a loss of ROM in time, for instance injury, improper posture, lifestyle, genetic factors or even too much movement. Respecting our boundaries in regards to our joints can help us preserve our ROM longer in time, whether we refer to our spine, knees, shoulders, hips or wrists.

ROM is what allows stability and flexibility in the body and it is a combination between healthy joints, the strength of the surrounding muscles and the nervous system response. The nervous system will respond well to the movement if it feels safe, meaning the body doesn’t go further or faster than its normal ROM, otherwise there will be contraction or even a pain response. There is also a basic principle regarding joint movements: the more flexibility, the less stability; the more stability, the less flexibility. Someone who is very flexible may not have full or adequate range of motion due to lack of muscle strength. Our ligaments, bones and tissues are the ones in the end that bear the load and the pressure of a pose, so if our ROM is not helping to hold a stable pose for too long, then it will be a sure way to injury in the near or distant future. 

Different Yoga postures target different body parts and joint structures, e.g. inversions or backbends help with the mobility of the shoulders and the spine, while twists or standing postures tap more into the hip motion. The depth and orientation of the hip sockets are what prevents or helps people to do certain poses (think about Lotus Pose or Pigeon, for instance).

Also, mobility (or, functional mobility) depends on the strength of your body, it’s the ability to move unassisted, while this is very different from flexibility. Flexibility has been defined as the range of motion of muscle and connective tissues at a joint or group of joints and it is highly specific to each joint of the body. No person has the same ROM across all joints of the body, as well as the same ROM as another person; each one of us has our own individual anatomy and skeletal structure. Flexibility is the ability of the joint to have a good movement of the ligament that holds the joint together and then the muscle has to have the necessary strength to accommodate this movement. However too much flexibility or hypermobility can also be a state of imbalance just the same as being too stiff.

Hypermobile joints are the joints that move way further than what is considered the average ROM. Some of the main causes of hypermobility can be due to a connective tissue disorder, a joint injury or simply the particular shape, size and orientation of the bones. However, for students whose hypermobility is due to the unique shape of their bones, their hypermobility is safe, natural and normal for them, so in these situations, more ROM is not needed but rather prevention of the ligaments, bones and joints to atrophy in time. Practices like Yin Yoga might not be the most beneficial in this case, but only with lots of care and attention, while for someone with more stiffness in the ligaments, bones or joints, practices like Yin Yoga can actually help improve the overall condition and mobility of the body in time.

Finding balance or flexibility is also a matter of age, since it is a completely different process when we are in our 20s then when we are in our 50s. Our bodies age, with the fascia and ligaments becoming less mobile and elastic and our joints becoming stiffer. Learning to safely build up flexibility in our bodies is a matter of building up muscle strength as well, therefore playing between active and passive range of motion. Passive range of motion is the amount of movement at a joint created by an external force, for example using a strap or blocks. Active range of motion is the movement created by the muscles that cross the joint, so that means for example, engaging actively the hip flexors of the legs in a sitting forward fold. That is the main difference between an active and passive stretching, relying on our muscle strength in the stretches vs. allowing the body to drop and to yield to its natural anatomical capacity to maintain a pose using supports (for example, in Yin Yoga or Restorative practices). Strengthening muscles with movement will ultimately create healthier joints, as stronger muscles will support the body, relieving stress and strain on the joint. However, it is vital to consult with a healthcare provider before attempting any style of Yoga, especially if there is a pre-existing medical condition or persistent pain that prevents mobility or ROM in the body. 

With the usage of different props and static holding of an asana we can improve flexibility and motion significantly over time. Also, a practice that focuses on the breath is a practice that brings presence to the body so that it can help one become more aligned with the structure and overall feeling of it. Knowing when to lean more to a passive approach and when to tap into a dynamic expression in a pose requires awareness of our ROM, a skill that can be trained in time and with lots of patience throughout all our Yoga practices.

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