Why Hip and Shoulder Mobility Is a Game-Changer for Athletes

June 2

At The MVMT Lab here in Fort Lauderdale, we work with a wide range of athletes—from surfers and swimmers to CrossFit competitors and weekend warriors. Across the board, two areas come up time and again as critical to performance and injury prevention: the hips and shoulders.

These two ball-and-socket joints are powerhouses of movement, offering a wide range of motion. But when mobility is lacking, it doesn’t just limit athletic potential—it often sets the stage for pain, compensation, and injury.

Let’s dive deeper into why these joints matter so much and how you can improve their mobility for better, safer performance.

Why Hip Mobility Matters

The hips are the epicenter of movement. From sprinting to squatting, cutting to climbing, the hips play a major role in transferring force from the lower body to the core and upper body.

Poor hip mobility—especially in rotation, flexion, and extension—can lead to:

  • Low back pain

  • Knee instability

  • Reduced power in explosive movements

A study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine found that limited hip internal rotation was significantly associated with lower back injuries in athletes, especially baseball players and golfers who rely on rotational power (Sauers et al., 2014).

In our clinic, we often see athletes who can “fake” depth in squats or lunges, but it’s their lumbar spine, not the hips, doing the work. This leads to excessive spinal loading and eventual breakdown.

To combat this, we prescribe targeted mobility drills like 90/90 hip transitions, banded distractions, and deep split squats that train both end-range control and joint capsule mobility.

Why Shoulder Mobility Is Essential

The shoulder joint offers the greatest range of motion in the body—but that freedom comes with a trade-off: stability.

Overhead athletes like swimmers, surfers, volleyball players, and CrossFitters place high demands on the shoulder. When mobility is restricted, the body often compensates with excessive motion in the thoracic spine or cervical spine, increasing injury risk.

A recent study in Journal of Sports Rehabilitation reported that after a six-week shoulder mobility and strengthening program, adolescent water polo players improved both active ROM and reduced shoulder pain during overhead movement (Salamh et al., 2022).

In the clinic, we emphasize:

  • Thoracic spine extension and rotation drills (since poor T-spine mobility limits shoulder movement)

  • Scapular control exercises like wall slides, bear crawls, and serratus punches

  • End-range isometrics to build strength where mobility is weakest

We also assess for asymmetries—especially in unilateral sports—and design corrective strategies based on sport-specific demands.

Final Thoughts

Optimizing hip and shoulder mobility isn’t just about injury prevention—it’s about unlocking more efficient movement, more power, and better longevity in sport.

If you’re an athlete in Fort Lauderdale, ask yourself:

  • Do you struggle with overhead movements?

  • Does your low back hurt after long runs or lifts?

  • Do you feel limited in your squat, lunge, or rotation?

If so, it’s time to look at your mobility—not just your strength.

At The MVMT Lab, we don’t just treat symptoms—we find the root cause. And for many athletes, it starts with restoring full, functional mobility in the hips and shoulders.

References:

  • Sauers, E. L., & Borsa, P. A. (2014). The relationship of hip range of motion and core muscle activation to low back pain in athletes. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 42(2), 435–440. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546513509226

  • Salamh, P. A., Nakashian, M., & Sizer, P. S. (2022). Shoulder mobility and strength in adolescent water polo players: Effects of a targeted 6-week intervention. Journal of Sports Rehabilitation, 31(2), 233–240. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsr.2020-0339