What are the best mobility exercises?
Move each joint slowly, neck to ankles, 3 to 10 times. But the extra range from one session usually fades within 30 minutes. What lasts is linked to how many days you do it.
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What are the best mobility exercises?
Mobility exercises move a joint slowly through as much of its range as feels comfortable. Start with these 8 moves, from your neck down to your ankles.
Each one comes from NHS exercise pages or Versus Arthritis, the UK arthritis charity.
| Move | How | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Neck turn | Sit tall. Turn your head towards one shoulder as far as is comfortable. | Hold 5 seconds, 3 each side |
| Shoulder circle | Rest one hand on a chair. Let the other arm hang and swing it gently in a circle. | About 5 times |
| Arm raise | Stand with your arms at your sides. Raise them as far as is comfortable, palms facing. | Hold 5 to 10 seconds, 5 times |
| Upper-body twist | Sit tall with your arms crossed to your shoulders. Turn your upper body without moving your hips. | Hold 5 seconds, 5 each side |
| Sideways bend | Stand with feet hip-width apart. Slide one arm down your side as far as is comfortable. | Hold 2 seconds, 3 each side |
| Knee roll | Lie on your back, knees bent, feet together. Roll your knees to one side, shoulders flat. | Hold 10 seconds, 3 each side |
| Hip march | Sit tall and hold the chair. Lift one knee as far as is comfortable, then lower it with control. | 5 each leg |
| Ankle circle | Move your ankle slowly around in a circle. | 10 each way |
Sources: NHS flexibility; NHS sitting; Versus Arthritis shoulders; Versus Arthritis back; Versus Arthritis ankles
The NHS says to build up slowly and add a few more over time. Go only as far as is comfortable.
Try the first 4 moves today.
Mobility and stretching: what’s the difference?
Mobility moves keep a joint moving. Stretches hold it still near the end of its range. The routine above uses a bit of both.
Before exercise, moving wins. A review in healthy, active people found moving stretches gave small to moderate gains in performance when done within minutes of activity.
| Type | What you do | Just before a workout |
|---|---|---|
| Mobility moves | Take a joint through its range a few times | Small to moderate gains in performance within minutes |
| Held stretches | Hold one position still | Holds of 60 seconds or more per muscle cut performance more than shorter ones, when tested straight after |
Source: Behm 2016
Held stretches had no clear effect on injuries in that review. There was no data for moving ones.
Training today? Use a few of the moves in your warm-up before a workout. Save longer holds for after, with our full-body stretching routine.
How often should you do mobility exercises?
The NHS suggests its flexibility moves at least twice a week. Aged 65 or over? Do activities for strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week.
More days may help more. In the review above, the extra range from one session usually lasted under 30 minutes.
A review of 23 studies found more days a week went with bigger gains over time. It says stretching on at least 5 days a week may help. It looked at stretching, where held stretches did best, not mobility moves alone.
- Below 2 days a weekBelow the NHS twice a week.
- 2 to just under 5 days a weekMeets the NHS twice a week.
- 5 days a week or above5 or more days. Linked to bigger gains.
Sources: NHS flexibility; Thomas 2018
So one session’s gain fades, but the days add up. That count of days is the number to watch.
Tie the routine to something you already do each day, like waiting for the kettle.
Morning mobility routine for beginners
New to exercise? Start sitting down. The NHS seated routine is gentle and made for people who have not done much exercise for a while.
A 4-move seated routine
- 1
Chest stretch
Sit away from the chair back, arms out to the sides. Push your chest forward and up. Hold 5 to 10 seconds, 5 times.
- 2
Upper-body twist
Cross your arms to your shoulders. Turn your upper body without moving your hips. Hold 5 seconds, 5 each side.
- 3
Hip march
Hold the sides of the chair. Lift one knee as far as is comfortable. 5 lifts each leg.
- 4
Ankle stretch
Straighten one leg, foot off the floor. Point your toes away, then back. 2 sets of 5 each foot.
Source: NHS sitting
Use a solid chair with no wheels and no arms. Not sure the moves suit you? The NHS says to check with a GP or a health professional involved in your care.
None of these sources says mornings work better than any other time. Pick the time you’ll keep to.
Joints stiff for more than 30 minutes after waking? That is on the NHS list of reasons to see a GP, below.
Back, neck and upper body mobility exercises
Want more for one area? Add these. The mid-back move is from an NHS physio leaflet at Cambridge University Hospitals.
| Area | Move | How |
|---|---|---|
| Lower back | Pelvic tilt | Lie with knees bent. Tighten your stomach and flatten your back to the floor. Hold 5 seconds, 5 times. |
| Mid back | Arch and hollow | On all fours, arch your back up with your head relaxed. Then let your mid back drop. |
| Neck | Chin to chest | Slowly tilt your chin down to your chest. Hold 5 seconds, 5 times. |
| Wrists | Wrist turn | Bend your elbow to 90 degrees, palm down. Turn your palm up, then down. |
| Wrists | Hand wave | Rest your forearm on a table. Move your wrist up and down through its full range. |
Sources: Versus Arthritis back; Cambridge University Hospitals NHS; Versus Arthritis neck; Versus Arthritis wrists
The mid-back and wrist moves come with no set number. Versus Arthritis says to start slowly and build up gradually.
For legs, our hip mobility exercises add 4 more moves. For a stronger back, see back exercises.
Neck pushed forward? See forward head posture.
How to do mobility exercises safely
- Start slowly and build up gradually.
- Move only as far as is comfortable.
- Sit down for neck moves if you have trouble balancing.
- Stop straight away if you feel any pain or become unwell.
- Have a health problem, an injury, any symptoms, or feel unwell? Had a recent operation or a health event such as a heart attack? Ask a GP or health professional first.
- Pregnant or recently given birth? Ask a GP first.
Sources: Versus Arthritis; NHS warm-up; NHS joint pain
If a joint hurts, the NHS says not to stop moving it completely. Check the list below first.
When to speak to a GP
The NHS says to see a GP if:
- Joint pain is stopping you doing normal activities or affecting your sleep.
- The pain or swelling is getting worse, keeps coming back, or hasn’t improved after 2 weeks of treating it at home.
- Your joints are stiff for more than 30 minutes after waking up.
- Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if you have joint pain and the skin around it is swollen and feels hot, or joint pain and you feel unwell, have a high temperature or feel hot, cold or shivery.
- Call 999 or go to A&E if you have very bad joint pain after a fall or injury, can’t walk or put weight on a joint, your joint has moved out of place, or you have tingling or no feeling around the joint after an injury.
With back pain, the NHS says call 999 or go to A&E if you also have pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in both legs. Or if you lose feeling around your genitals or bottom, or notice changes in your bladder or bowels.
The same goes for changes in how sex feels, problems getting an erection or orgasm, chest pain, or pain after a serious accident.
In many areas you may be able to see an NHS physio without a GP referral. Aching in lots of joints? See joint pain and blood tests.