Flexibility vs. Mobility: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to moving better and feeling great, flexibility and mobility are two words that often get tossed around — but they don’t mean the same thing.

Flexibility refers to how much a muscle can lengthen. It’s your body’s ability to stretch soft tissues like muscles and tendons. For example, when you touch your toes, your hamstrings are stretching — that’s flexibility at work.

Mobility, on the other hand, is about how well a joint moves through its full range of motion, actively and with control. Imagine doing a deep squat — your hips, knees, and ankles all need mobility to move smoothly and safely.

Why Does It Matter? Flexibility helps prevent tightness and discomfort, while mobility ensures your joints can move freely and efficiently. You can have flexible muscles but still struggle with movement if your joints aren’t mobile — or have good mobility but risk injury if your muscles are stiff.

Assisted stretching - such as what we do here at Flow Stretch Therapy can help by:

✔️ Increasing flexibility by helping muscles relax more deeply

✔️ Improving range of motion around a joint in a passive way

✔️ Teaching your body how it could move, especially if you're stiff or recovering from inactivity or injury

You’ll also want to add:

Strength training (so your muscles can control that new range).

Active mobility drills/movement exercises or fun acitvities like dance (to teach your nervous system how to use the new flexibility)