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Mobility or Stability – The Ultimate Chicken or the Egg Debate

Mobility or stability – Which comes first? Which do we prioritize? Both play an integral role in functionality, yet unbeknownst to most people; there is a clear winner in the race for first place. Understanding the role of both can help answer this question and enhance your rehab and performance outcomes.

Let’s start by defining the terms:

Mobility: The ability of a joint to move actively through a range of motion.

Stability: The ability to maintain control of joint movement or position

From the definitions we can see how the two are intertwined and how one might influence the effects of the other. Mobility refers to actively moving a joint. Active movement within a joint involves muscular contraction and coordination. Without proper nerve to muscle involvement, mobility can’t be achieved. This is why stability should always come before mobility.

Imagine the following scenario: You are walking on a tightrope. What do you do? Do you run across it? No. Your body’s natural response is to lock up and take small steps. This is because of the instability. Your body is doing this to reduce mobility and tensing up to maximize stability and avoid falling.

Let’s use an exercise as an example. When you are squatting, stability produces a platform for movement. Without it, your mobility will be cut short to avoid being crushed by gravity or by the weight if squatting with a barbell. Therefore, we position the rack height where it is and not lower, and why you start with both feet underneath you and not one foot in front of the other.

So, to answer the ultimate question – start with stability. Use the following exercises to help enhance your stability and mobility during a squat:

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