Introduction
Flexibility varies greatly from person to person. Some individuals can bend, twist, and stretch with ease, while others struggle with even simple movements. Genetics, muscle structure, and connective tissue composition all contribute to this difference. While habits such as stretching and age-related changes can influence flexibility, inherent variations shaped by DNA often set a person’s natural baseline. According to Dr. Alexander Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC, a dual-scope chiropractor and nurse practitioner in El Paso, understanding these genetic and structural differences is essential for tailoring treatment and injury recovery plans.
The Genetic Blueprint of Flexibility
Genetics strongly influence muscle fiber type, collagen makeup, and connective tissue elasticity. Some people inherit looser ligaments and greater joint mobility, while others are born with tighter connective tissues that resist stretching (Xcode Life, n.d.). This explains why two people with identical exercise routines may achieve very different levels of flexibility.
Research also suggests that specific gene variations, such as those affecting collagen or elastin, influence how pliable tissues remain across a lifetime (PMC, 2020). Some inherited conditions, like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, lead to extreme flexibility, while others create stiffness from childhood (JAMA Pediatrics, 2000).
Natural Stiffness as a Normal Variation
Not everyone is destined to be flexible. While stretching can improve range of motion, individuals with a naturally stiff muscular and connective tissue structure may always feel more restricted than peers. This “baseline stiffness” is a normal variation and not necessarily a sign of dysfunction (Quora, n.d.).
Alexander Orthopaedics (2023) notes that factors such as gender and joint shape also contribute to flexibility differences. For example, women often show more flexibility in certain joints compared to men due to hormonal and structural influences.
How Age and Habits Affect Flexibility
Even with strong genetic influence, flexibility changes with age and lifestyle. Younger individuals typically have more pliable tissues, while older adults experience stiffness due to collagen cross-linking, reduced elasticity, and less physical activity (PMC, 2020).
Habits such as stretching, yoga, and mobility training can improve range of motion, though they may not fully override genetic limitations. Conversely, sedentary lifestyles accelerate stiffness by allowing connective tissues to shorten and tighten.
Medical Conditions Linked to Stiffness
While natural stiffness is often harmless, some conditions lead to severe rigidity. Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), for example, is a rare neurological condition that causes muscle rigidity and painful spasms (Hopkins Medicine, n.d.; MSU Healthcare, 2024). Unlike genetic baseline stiffness, SPS is progressive and requires medical management.
Inherited congenital disorders can also result in lifelong stiffness, limiting mobility across generations (JAMA Pediatrics, 2000). These conditions highlight how both rare diseases and common genetic factors shape human flexibility.
Dr. Alexander Jimenez’s Clinical Observations
In his El Paso practice, Dr. Alexander Jimenez has observed that patients recovering from injuries often face compounded stiffness issues. Genetics may limit natural flexibility, but trauma from sports, work, or motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) adds another layer of restriction.
Dr. Jimenez employs a dual-scope diagnostic approach, combining chiropractic assessment with advanced imaging and medical evaluation, to determine whether stiffness originates from genetics, injury, or disease. His integrative treatment includes:
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Chiropractic adjustments to restore joint alignment.
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Targeted exercise programs are designed to gradually improve range of motion.
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Massage therapy to reduce muscular tension and enhance circulation.
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Acupuncture to ease pain and support neuromuscular balance.
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Functional medicine strategies to address inflammation and connective tissue health.
By addressing both structural and genetic limitations, Dr. Jimenez helps patients achieve functional mobility, even when their natural range is limited.
Flexibility in Personal Injury Cases
Dr. Jimenez also plays a critical role in personal injury documentation for patients involved in MVAs or workplace accidents. He correlates patient reports with diagnostic imaging, creating accurate medical records that support both health recovery and legal claims.
In these cases, stiffness may limit mobility long after an accident. Through integrative care, Dr. Jimenez helps patients restore motion while providing the detailed records attorneys and insurers require.
Chiropractic and Integrative Medicine for Long-Term Health
Chiropractic care and integrative therapies do more than restore motion after injury—they help prevent long-term consequences of stiffness. Patients who maintain flexibility through regular adjustments, stretching, and supportive therapies often report fewer injuries and better overall function.
Even those with a naturally stiff genetic profile benefit from consistent care. While they may never achieve “gymnast-level” flexibility, they can reduce pain, maintain mobility, and protect joint health over time.
Conclusion
Flexibility is not a one-size-fits-all trait. Genetics, age, and lifestyle shape each person’s natural range of motion. Some are born with supple tissues, while others carry a baseline stiffness throughout life. Recognizing this variation is essential, especially when treating injuries or designing recovery plans.
Through his dual expertise in chiropractic care and medical practice, Dr. Alexander Jimenez provides patients with customized solutions that address both genetic limitations and injury-related stiffness. By blending advanced imaging, chiropractic adjustments, and integrative therapies, he helps individuals in El Paso and beyond achieve better mobility, health, and quality of life.
References
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Alexander Orthopaedics. (2023). Why are some individuals more flexible than others?
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Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Stiff person syndrome (SPS)
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Michigan State University Healthcare. (2024). Understanding stiff-person syndrome
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JAMA Pediatrics. (2000). An inherited congenital disorder resembling stiffness
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Quora. (n.d.). Why is my body naturally inflexible?
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PMC. (2020). Genetic influence on flexibility.
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Xcode Life. (n.d.). Is flexibility genetic?
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Jimenez, A. (n.d.). Dr. Alexander Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC
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LinkedIn. (n.d.). Dr. Alexander Jimenez professional profile
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and physical medicine, as well as wellness, sensitive health issues, and functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and the jurisdiction in which they are licensed to practice. We utilize functional health and wellness protocols to treat and support care for injuries or disorders affecting the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters and issues that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and identified relevant research studies that support our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies upon request to regulatory boards and the public.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how they may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol. To discuss the subject matter above further, please contact Dr. Alex Jimenez or us at 915-50-0900.
Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
Email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*
