Mobility Month – January Recap

Growth will be the keyword in growing our presence in the community both physically and virtually. We are committing ourselves to at least 1 blog topic/theme per month. Our staff has some ideas but would love to know what’s on your mind? Do you have specific questions or topics we can cover? It can be anything from questions about a specific problem you’re having, recommendations for various products you’ll see in the new year, recovery from various surgeries or how to avoid them in the first place!

This month we’ll be posting weekly mobility exercises to get started with. Many of us shut down for the holidays and then try to jump right back to where we were months ago without getting our bodies ready. 

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Wall Angel Test

The wall angel test is an assessment of your ability to fully lengthen your spine as well as a way to check in with your shoulder girdle (not only the ball and socket but the shoulder blades, rib cage, T-spine, neck etc). The area between your neck (cervical) and back (lumbar) is often called the “T-spine.”  For most desk jockeys, or commuters, or just about anyone working these days out there the T-spine is stiff. Try this test to see if you could use some help.

1. Stand with your back against the wall and walk your feet about 6 inches or so. 
2. Flatten your spine into the wall by rolling your pelvis from the bottom. You may have to bend your knees slightly.  Avoid slouching from the top/shoulder blades. 
3. Retract your neck to try to get the back of your head to the wall WITHOUT lifting your chin up. 
   1. At this point see how you feel. Can you get to the wall? Are you struggling to hold this position? Are you having pain anywhere? Are you straining or holding your breath? 
      1. If you answered yes then this is a red flag that you could use some work in these areas. 
      2. If you answered no then move on to step 4. 
4. Once you’re flat on the wall keeping your chin tucked and your head/spine on the wall  bring your arms up to the wall with your hands forward (think the “robot position”). 
5. Keep your shoulder blades from creeping up to your head and keeping your elbows on the wall slowly rotate your shoulders back toward the wall. 
   1. Did you lose your chin tuck position?
   2. Were you not able to get your hands to the wall?
   3. Did you lose contact with the wall in your back or head?
      1. If you answered yes then this is a red flag that you could use some work in these areas. 
      2. If you answered no then move on to step 5
6. At this point if you can run your arms up the wall without losing too much contact on the wall with your spine and head you’re doing pretty well! If you have a lot of stiffness here then you might want to turn this test into an exercise and work on this mobility if you want to do any significant overhead lifting.  
7. Use this test throughout to see whether you’re making progress or losing mobility due to a myriad of things like long drives, computer work, and most anything that requires you to work in front of you (mechanics, electricians, hair stylists etc). 

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Active Straight Raise (ASLR)

The ASLR test is a common test used to assess mobility throughout the system of the muscles on the back side of your body as well as the general strength and motor control of your lower half.  It is a great way to tease out things that could be behind those nagging aches and pains including back pain, knee pain, plantar fasciitis, and even neck and shoulder pain. 

1. Lie on your back with knees straight and ankles flexed up. 
2. Keeping your knee straight lift one leg up as high as you can making sure that your other leg stays straight and toes stay facing the ceiling
3. Use a mirror or have someone check how high your foot is. If you were to drop a vertical line from your foot to the floor you would want it to fall toward the top half of your other thigh. 

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Kneeling Ankle Dorsiflexion

The Kneeling Dorsiflexion test is used to isolate the ankle joint and see how much mobility you have. Many people know the basic ankle stretches but we find that people will cheat with other body parts and movements and end up missing restrictions in the ankle. Stiffness in the rearfoot can be implicated in many common issues such as back pain, heel pain, knee pain, hip pain, balance problems and, of course, plantar fasciitis. 

1. Kneel on one knee using a pad if needed and place your other foot about 4” from a wall. Adjust so that your front hip and knee are about 90*
2. Use your hands on the wall for balance if needed and lean forward from your hip. 
3. Check how far in front of your toes your front knee can go. Check to make sure you’re not twisting at your hips and make sure that your knee stays on the outside part of your foot.
4. You should be able to get your front knee over your toes. “Perfect” would be touching the wall without cheating but at the very least your should be able to get your knee over your toes. 

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Balance Tests 

Balance is a VERY complicated skill. It requires a combination of many systems in your body including the visual system, proprioception (being able to feel where your body is in space), and general conditioning. This test gives us a general picture of your ability to control your body while standing on one leg which is a relatively athletic skill. If you have a history of falls, tripping, or catching your feet frequently you likely already have a balance problem. 

***If you already have balance issues this test may be too difficult and we recommend you don’t try it without a spotter or holding on to something stable like a counter etc. or just come see us!

If you don’t have a known history of balance issues or even if you are a high level athlete this test can give you some insight into what might be causing issues in single-leg stance activities like running, kicking, or even just going up and down the stairs. 

1. Stand tall with arms by your side and knees straight. 
2. Trying focusing your eyes on something to concentrate 
3. In a controlled manor raise one knee to a march position while trying to stay upright. 
4. Can you maintain your balance? Do you need to use your arms to balance? Can you get your knee to hip height? How long can you hold it?

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• We are available for a free 15 minute phone consultation to talk about how your pain is affecting you and to discuss your treatment options. 

• If you are in pain and unsure about what your next steps should be, call us at (301) 539-3807 and ask how we can help.