The stiffness that makes getting up and down a challenge is a sign of advancing age, as are the rickety curve of the spine, the frozen hip joints, and the inflexible shuffle. The influence of muscular pliability on overall health is surprisingly profound. The degree of freedom you have in your muscles and joints determines your capacity for balance and susceptibility to injury. Your Flexibility Skills Take the multiple-choice quiz. Flexibility affects not only external movement, but also internal bodily functions.
Stiffness can result from either overuse or underuse.
So whether you're an armchair slug or an inveterate exerciser, flexibility matters. Gender and genetics influence our individual capacity for pliancy. Men, with thicker muscle fibers rendering more upper-body brawn, have a relatively narrow pelvis and less flexible hip joints. Women, with a lower center of gravity and more power in the legs, tend to be more flexible overall. Another genetic factor is the length of ligaments, the connective tissue that ties bone to bone-some people are just more tightly strung than others.