Can You Pass These 3 Mobility Tests? What They Reveal About How You’re Aging

Mobility is everything. Washing your own hair, getting up and getting dressed in the morning, reaching for a high shelf, and even easily getting in and out of the car are all things commonly taken for granted. That is, until the body starts to push back, and you slowly begin to lose the ability to do these simple daily tasks.

No matter what, your mobility will deteriorate as you age. However, regular exercise slows down the process and adds longevity. While it doesn’t completely stop it, it acts as a strong buffer, slowing the decline and preserving day-to-day independence, adding high-quality, active years to your life.

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Here are some ways to assess whether your mobility is on track, along with simple daily exercises to help you move comfortably for as long as possible.

What’s normal, and what’s not

It’s important to stress that while you need to make it a point to stay active, some mobility issues are simply normal and come with aging.

It’s pretty standard for your hips and hamstrings to get stiff as you age. However, your hips and hamstrings control the movement and flow of your back. While hip stiffness is normal, it’s a good idea to do mobility movements to lengthen and decompress the spine. A simple child’s pose, cat-cow stretch, and knee-to-chest stretch are all great movements.

On the other hand, if you notice you’re taking shorter strides as you walk, hunching your back, or feeling like you’re getting shorter, you need to start taking your mobility seriously. It’s a domino effect; when one thing starts feeling bad, the rest of your body will follow.

Assess your mobility

It’s important to assess your mobility to see whether your body is on the right track. Here are some simple exercises you can do to get a sense of your mobility.

• Squat test: Stand in a parallel position and squat, keeping your body weight over your heels. Test to see if you can do this without sending your knees over your ankles and keeping your chest upright.

• Snow angels: Set your stance with your feet a few inches from a wall. Press your glutes, upper back, and the back of your head against the wall. Engage your core and tuck your pelvis so your lower back is flat. There should be no space between your lumbar spine and the wall. Raise your arms to the sides at a 90-degree angle. Slowly slide your arms up into a V-shape, then lower them back to the original position. You should be able to complete this process a few times without bending or sliding them off the wall.

• Toe touches: See how far you can bend at the waist without bending your knees. As you age, it’s normal not to be able to touch your toes, but you should be able to touch at least your shins or even your ankles.

Start a daily routine

People who sit a lot, such as those with sedentary lifestyles, tend to have the most mobility issues as they age. It rounds the spine, neck, and shoulders. However, society demands so much screen time now that these mobility issues are becoming a lot more common. It’s important that you establish a routine before your immobility worsens and negatively affects your quality of life.

• Chair squats: Sit in a chair, then stand back up. This helps strengthen quads, hamstrings, hips, and glutes. It’s an exercise that models a common everyday action, which is important for older adults to maintain mobility. Start with 1 set of 5 to 10 repetitions, aiming to accomplish 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions over time.
  
  
• Elevated hand plank: Use something to elevate your upper body. This can be anything from an exercise bar to the back of your couch. Get your body into a 45-degree angle for 30 seconds, then hold to build core and shoulder strength.
  
  
• Push-ups: In the same position as the elevated hand plank, add push-ups. Keep the body elevated at a 45-degree angle and repeat the movement 10 times.
  
  
• Calf raises: Hold onto something for balance, come onto the toes, and go back down. Repeat this movement 10 times. Lots of people don’t know this, but the stronger your calves are, the healthier your heart. These are also great for gaining strength for everyday walking.
  
  
• Step-ups: Find a curb height, step up and down 10 times in a row. We constantly have to step up and down in everyday life, so it’s critical that you practice and strengthen those muscles.

Whether you are starting to notice mobility issues or not, it’s critical that you do your due diligence to prevent further deterioration. People often wait until a tragedy or an eye-opening event. Not being able to recover after an illness, play with grandkids, or even struggling to dry your hair are all examples that make people focus on their health and mobility.

Don’t wait until you can’t grab something off the shelf. Start building these habits to protect your independence, keep pain at bay, and ensure you can keep moving freely on your own terms for years to come.

Josh Rogers is a professional fitness trainer and the founder of FIT6 in Scottsdale, Arizona. He’s trained over 23,000 individuals and has been helping adults over 50 maintain mobility since 2023.