06/14/2026
Mobility is the ability of a joint to move through a full, healthy range of motion. When mobility is an issue, the symptoms will be decreased range of motion, tightness, compensations and increased strain on the surrounding muscles. Stability on the other hand, is the ability to maintain the control of a joint’s motion and provide support. When stability is an issue, the shoulder may be hypermobile (excessive motion), have poor control over movement and patients feel as if they always need to stretch, but stretching never gives any lasting relief. Different muscles provide mobility and stability. Some provide both but are dependent on the motion the joint is moving through.
The shoulder is considered a very mobile joint. When we refer to the shoulder, we are referring to the glenohumeral joint, or where the humerus (arm) bone meets the scapula at the glenoid notch, hence the term glenohumeral joint. The glenohumeral joint is considered a “mobile” joint. There is another connection between the scapula and the thoracic spine, called the scapulothoracic joint. This is a purely muscular attachment. The scapulothoracic joint is considered a “stable” joint.
As their terms imply, we want mobile joints to move, and stable joints to stabilize. When they don’t do these jobs well, there are compensations that are made in the joints above and below.
When mobility is an issue, treatment should focus on stretching, range of motion exercises, and strength through the full range of motion. Joint manipulation and soft tissue techniques can be very helpful here.
When stability is an issue, stretching is not needed. The motion is there, the stability is not. Here, the focus of treatment would be more activation of muscles that aren’t doing their job. Often these areas can be fixed by addressing the joints around the area that are not moving well when they should be mobile.
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