I recently received an email from a patient/yogi asking, "What is the ratio of natural flexibility that you are born with versus that which can be attained through work?" I wish I had a more cut and dry answer, but the answer is that it all depends...
First, let's talk about mobility rather than flexibility. Flexibility is how stretchy your tissues are. Mobility is how much movement you have (which includes flexibility). The difference is subtle but significant. Let's see what various body parts have a say about your ultimate mobility.
Bones have the final word in ROM
Everyone is built differently. Some people have more mobility because their bones are just built to have more range in certain motions. For example, various shapes of your femurs (your big thigh bones) and/or pelvis can have a huge impact on your hip mobility. The bone variation in the picture (left bone) is called femoral anteversion, and can definitely limit some hip movements. Remember, the shape of your bones have the final word in how much you can move a joint!
The soft tissues have a say
After the bones, we can look at the soft tissues (ligaments, joint capsules, tendons, muscles, and fascia). These tissues all play a role in holding a joint together or moving it and can possibly restrict motion if they are short or tight. You can gain more flexibility in these tissues by stretching them out over time. Also, remember the tissues themselves vary in flexibility. You can get an idea of the "natural flexibility" of your tissues with your Beighton score. You mostly cannot change your bones short of surgery, but the soft tissues you can over time.
The nervous system can have control issues
Another part of your body that has a say about mobility is your nervous system. Even if your bones and soft tissues allow the movement, you still may not be able to do it! For instance, if you lay a person on her back, and then you lift one of her legs up. You can pick it up to a certain angle. Stand her up and ask her to lift her leg to the same angle, and there's a good chance that she won't be able to do it. Why? There are several possibilities, but it's definitely not due to a bone restriction or length of soft tissues because you just picked up her leg to the same angle. The short answer is if your nervous system feels like your body is in an unstable or dangerous position, it will not let you go further, or it will find a way to make you stable. This may involve contracting muscles that end up limiting your motion.
So... what's the ratio?
It's probably more useful to look at the "ratio" of how much motion you have structurally (in the bones) vs. how much motion you can access based on your soft tissue flexibility and nervous system. Through work, you can gain up to what you have available in the joint, but be sure you are gaining movement in that joint and not compensating with too much movement in another joint somewhere else. Also, remember that the "work" could actually mean strengthening weak or unstable areas rather than stretching.
Namasté
Namasté
Femoral anteversion picture from http://www.painfreefeet.ca
Control freak card from http://sassterhood.com
Control freak card from http://sassterhood.com
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