What Are Joint CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations)?
CARs stands for Controlled Articular Rotations and they are an exercise/concept created by Functional Range Systems. The exercise itself involves slowly exploring and training the outer ranges of motion of a joint (articulation) in such a way that you maximize movement of the joint and activation of the joint capsule (the deep tissue that encapsulates the joint).
Controlled Articular Rotations (CARS) - Free Daily CARs Routine
What Are The Benefits of Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs)?
Self-Assessment
Your joint CARs offer you a way to assess how much access you have to that particular joint. In other words, you will assess how much range of motion you have in every direction that the joint moves.
In addition to assessing your range of motion, CARs also allow you to scan for joint and tissue restrictions. Kinstretch instructors will teach you how to know which sensations are desirable and which to avoid. As a very general rule, you want to avoid pain. However, you may find pain or joint restrictions that you didn’t know you had - allowing you to get out ahead of it by getting it assessed before it turns into an injury.
Joint CARs also allow you to assess for movement compensations. CARs are meant to be an isolated exercise, meaning you only move ONE joint at a time (the joint that you are doing the CAR for). You may notice yourself struggling to keep other joints from contributing to movement - which offers valuable information about your body.
Joint Hygiene
Think of it like brushing your teeth, but for your joints. You practice dental hygiene every day – it’s time to start practicing joint hygiene! When we do joint CARs we cause a hydraulic mechanism to occur in the joint. This results in blood/fluid and nutrients being flushed into the joint, including the articular (joint) cartilage. This helps to preserve our cartilage over time and slow the onset of degenerative changes. This hydraulic mechanism also helps to flush out any inflammation or “stuff” that we do not want sitting in our joints offering an immediate benefit in addition to long term benefits.
Maintain Range Of Motion
Have you ever heard the term “use it or lose it”? The same goes for your range of motion. If you are not using your outer ranges of motion (which, let’s face it - most people don’t use their end ranges of motion for each joint every day) then you are far more susceptible to losing that range of motion over time.
By doing CARs not only are you “using” your end ranges of motion to help hit the “save button” on these ranges, you are also actively training these ranges of motion and banking time under tension in those outer limits.
Build Control & Resilience
When doing CARs we focus on creating internal muscular tension within our body. By doing so you get more activation of both your tissues (muscles) and nervous system. Both of these can help to improve control and resilience in your outer ranges of motion - where we are often most vulnerable and have the least control.
THEY FEEL GOOD!
If your joint CARs do not feel good then you’re likely doing something wrong. This may mean that you are pushing through ranges of motion that you shouldn’t be. We always stick to PAIN-FREE ranges of motion with our CARs. In doing so, we often finish our CARs feeling better than before we did them.
Ready to Level Up Your Mobility Training?
The Operation Human First subscription has an entire section dedicated to CARs along with many other sections to help you build strength, mobility, joint health, and improve how well you FEEL every day.
