Worried about a future where injuries or achy joints and muscles are more common? Try these mobility moves.

Wine, cheese, and Meryl Streep may get better with age, but our mobility is something that needs a little extra attention.

“As we get older, we lose the ability to access all ranges of motions without pain or compensation,” says physical therapist Grayson Wickham, PT, DPT, CSCS, and founder of Movement Vault, a mobility and movement company. Compensation happens when there’s limited mobility in key joints, like your hips.

To compensate, “your knee and ankle joints will move more than they should, to allow your body to move the way you’re asking it to,” Wickham points out.

Similarly, if you have low mobility in your shoulder, your back will over-arch. “We can thank a combo of desk jobs, lounging on the couch, and our posture when we use technology for that,” he says.

Injuries that can accompany low mobility

“Back pain is something 80% of people will experience at some point in their lives,” Wickham says. “About 70% experience neck pain at least once. Some 50% to 80% of those with neck pain will feel it again within 5 years.”

Here’s another startling statistic: shoulder injuries comprise 29% of sports-related injuries, according to 2019 research, to which the lack of mobility in the shoulder joint likely contributes.

But it’s never too late to develop a mobility practice to get your full (or nearly full) range of motion back. Doing so, especially in your 40s, can help prevent injury and pain in the future. It can also help you stay active in your 60s, 70s, and beyond.

“It’s what allows us to perform our daily tasks like do the laundry, play with the dog, and exercise without pain or restriction,” says Wickham. “Mobility is essential to our quality of life as we get older.”

Whether you’re in your 40s, younger, or older, incorporating some mobility moves into your everyday routine can help you for decades to come.

Wickham put together a five-move mobility routine to improve movement and function in your key joints.

Try to do the routine as often as possible, or five or more times weekly. It’ll help you live your best life as you get older, and you’ll also gradually see improvements in daily activities.

Speak with your doctor

If you’re new to exercise or have limited mobility, speak with your doctor or a physical therapist before trying any of these exercises. They may make adjustments so they strain certain muscles less.

Segmented cat-cow

Segmented cat cow
Credit: GIFs by James Farrell

Directions

  1. Start on all fours with the tops of your feet pressed into the ground.
  2. To begin the cat phase, tuck your tailbone under to push your spine toward the ceiling, making the shape of a cat with an arched back. As you do this, lengthen your neck so your ears come down by your biceps.
  3. Slowly move into the cow position by dropping your belly toward the floor, drawing your shoulders away from your ears, and gazing toward the ceiling.
  4. Cycle through cat-cow at least 5 times.

Muscles worked: spinal muscles

Around the world

Around the world
Credit: GIFs by James Farrell

Directions

  1. Start in a standing position with your knees slightly bent.
  2. Punch your arms up the sky as high as you can.
  3. Side bend to the left, squeezing all the muscles on the left side of your body.
  4. Slowly make your way to the right side of your body until you’re in a side bend on the right side. That’s one rep. The goal of this movement is to explore new ranges of motion and to activate the muscles in your spine.
  5. Perform 5 reps slowly in each direction.

Muscles worked: spinal muscles

Reverse snow angel

Reverse snow angel
Credit: GIFs by James Farrell

Directions

  1. Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Hinge at your hips, pushing your hips back, keeping a slight bend in your knee until your chest is parallel to the ground. With your arms by your side and your palms facing up, extend your
    shoulders as far as possible.
  3. Move your arms as if you’re making a snow angel by bringing your hands behind your
    back as far as possible. Then, push your palms to the ceiling as high as you can.
  4. Flip your palms so they’re facing the ground, squeeze your shoulder blades, and return to the starting position. This is one rep.
  5. Aim for 5 reps total.

Muscles worked: shoulders (deltoids)

Hip flow

Hip flow
Credit: GIFs by James Farrell

Directions

  1. Start on all fours.
  2. Place one leg directly out to the side. Drive your heel into the ground and think about flexing your inner thigh muscle (adductor).
  3. Keep this muscle flexed as you shift your hips backward as far as possible without arching or bending your spine.
  4. Hold here for five seconds before returning to the starting position. That’s one rep.
  5. Repeat 10 reps per side.

Muscles worked: hip adductor

Hamstringend range isometric

Hamstring end range isometric
Credit: GIFs by James Farrel

Directions

  1. Begin in a half-kneeling position holding onto an object or wall with your front knee extended. Push your hips back until you stretch out your front leg’s hamstring as much as possible.
  2. Lean forward until you feel a point of stretch in your hamstring. Contract
    your hamstring muscle as hard as you can for 10 seconds by driving your heel into the ground. You aren’t moving, just flexing.
  3. With your leg still straight, try to lift your front heel off the ground by flexing your quad (thigh muscle) as hard as you can for 10 seconds.
  4. Switch sides and repeat each leg 3 times.

Muscles worked: hamstrings, hip flexors, core

“Consistency is key when it comes to improving the way you move. A few minutes a day is all it takes to see massive improvements over time,” Wickham reminds us. “We are weakest in these end-ranges of motions, but activating the muscles in this way helps increase flexibility, prime the nervous system, and strengthen the joint.”

Benefits of working on mobility

  • decreased risk of injury (prehab)
  • increased quality of life
  • increased muscle activation
  • improved range of motion
  • reduced pain during daily activities

As you get older, you may experience more limited mobility. While the causes of limited mobility can vary for everyone, following a five-move mobility routine can help you regain some of that mobility.

But before you start, it’s a good idea to speak with a doctor or physical therapist, especially if your mobility is severely limited or you have a history of joint injuries.

They’ll likely help you develop a plan that works for you and your range of mobility.

Gabrielle Kassel (she/her) is a queer sex educator and wellness journalist who is committed to helping people feel the best they can in their bodies. In addition to Healthline, her work has appeared in publications such as Shape, Cosmopolitan, Well+Good, Health, Self, Women’s Health, Greatist, and more! In her free time, Gabrielle can be found coaching CrossFit, reviewing pleasure products, hiking with her border collie, or recording episodes of the podcast she co-hosts called Bad In Bed. Follow her on Instagram @Gabriellekassel.