Many people find that when they don’t move enough, their body gets stiff. Others might also notice that as they age their mobility decreases. Or some might remember times in their youth when they were much more flexible than they are now. In short, our bodies drastically change as we age. Our muscle composition, bone density, and even our center of gravity can change. As a result of these changes, functional changes have to occur to keep the body moving as it ages.
One area to explore for root cause in mobility between young and old individuals is the quality of fascia. Fascia has many purposes and one is cell health and glide between the layers in the body. Glide is a characteristic of fascia that when healthy provides easier movement. A study looked at changes in fascia thickness as we age to determine if fascia thickness could be a contributing factor of restrictions in joint range of motion. The data suggested that there isn’t just one cause for all decreases in functional range of motion. However, it did clearly show that healthy young and old individuals exhibit substantial differences in fascial thickness; young female adults had higher fascia thickness of the anterior and posterior lower leg while older individuals showed higher thickness around the lumbar spine. Thickening at the lower back can be a result of posture, decreased movement, cellular stress and more. Thickening can be contributed to less glide and may result in reports of increased low back pain.
Although it is hard to measure exactly how a stiff fascia can directly limit joint range of motion, scientists are finding better ways to measure thickness and range of motion. Recent studies linked ankle dorsiflexion (flexing the foot upward as you would with walking) to cervical flexion and hip flexion. This suggests that range of motion cannot be caused by muscles because there are no muscles that cross the hips and the ankles. Instead, the change in range in motion is likely due to nerve and fascia because they link the regions.
Increasing range of motion does not involve longer muscles; it requires stretch tolerance, the ability to experience stretching without discomfort, and moving your joints safely. Yoga practices encourage you to investigate the limitations of the physical body and become more aware of the nuances of how your body moves. Learn more about mobility changes in our previous blog. Dogwood Studio offers a variety of yoga classes that can help you achieve the goal of moving safely and increasing your range of movement.
For the latest schedule on the website, click HERE.
Aviva Tulasi is a registered yoga instructor (RYT) who is currently enrolled in a IYAT certified 800 hour yoga therapy program. You can join Aviva Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. for Meditation in Motion Online Yoga Class for Dogwood or meet with her privately for free as part of her practicum hours.
In March, SAM is offering a special Sunday session: For Those That Want To Improve the Ability to Bend: A mindful movement class is for those that want to understand how to safely learn about how they can improve their mobility and flexibility.
9 a.m. – 10 a.m. online
Come to one or some or all sessions (Four Sunday Sessions)
Click on the link HERE to sign-up and go to the ‘Classes’ tab to sign-up for any sessions.
On Demand Line-up for March 14th through March 22nd & available for signing up:
SAM Sather, a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), individualizes the yoga practice with appropriate modifications for participants’ unique bodies and medical histories with a focus on finding calm and improving health. She offers several live, online class in yoga as well as weekly recorded On Demand classes. SAM also offers private sessions so you can focus on your needs one-on-one.