Improving and maintaining mobility throughout the whole body can be the best way to stay on track with your movement goals. Mobility can be a huge part of being able to walk correctly, squat correctly and even prevent pain throughout your body.
After performing any of these tests, if you see any major compensations let me know and I can develop an action card with your corrective exercises.
Let’s take a look at the 4 main mobility tests that we do at Digman Fitness:
- Ankle Wall Test
Do you feel restriction in your ankle or calf while keeping your heel down? re-test at 4-5 inches away from wall for ideal ankle mobility.
2. Deep Squat Test
How does this feel? do your feet remain in a 3 point contact with the ground (heel, big toe, little toe)? Can you maintain good posture (shins and back maintain parallel)? Where do you feel restriction?
If you have hip or knee replacement, ask for an alternative to this test.
There are many compensations that happen with the foot/ankle, knees, hips and spine during this test which outlines many over/underactive muscles. Contact me for a detailed action card based on what you see.
3. Pec Wall Test
Be sure to pay attention to your lumbar spine- does it extend? Can you get your hands back to the wall with your elbows simultaniously
Common Compensations:
A. Shoulders Elevate during test- Overactive upper trapezius and levator scapulae. Underactive rotator cuff, rhomboids and middle/lower trapezius
B. Hands are far from wall during test- Overactive teres minor and infraspinatus and hypomobile posterior capsule. Underactive subscapularis and teres major.
C. Shoulder Rolls forward during Rotation Test- Overactive pectoralis major/minor and hypomobile posterior capsule. Underactive rotator cuff, rhomboids and middle/lower trapezius.
4. Standing Shoulder Wall Flexion Test
Be sure to pay attention to what happens to our elbows (do they remain straight?), do you see scapular elevation?, do you experience lumbar extension?
Common Compensations:
A. Elbows Flex during the test– Overactive biceps brachii, latissimus dorsi, teres minor and pectoralis major. Underactive muscles include triceps brachii and rotator cuff.
B. Shoulders Elevate during the test– Overactive upper trapezius and levator scapulae. Underactive rotator cuff, rhomboids and middle/lower trapezius.
C. Lower back arches during test– Overactive erector spinae and pectoralis major/minor. Underactive rotator cuff, rhomboids and middle/lower trapezius.
Each of these tests can be a big part of prescribing corrective exercises throughout the routine so that we can move better and perform better. These are some basic tests that cover a lot, but if you need a more in depth movement screen as well as joint goniometry, let me know.
Reference:
Clark, M. A., Lucett, S. C., & Sutton, B. G. (2014). NASM Essentials of Corrective Exercise Training (1st ed. revised). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
