What is Hypermobility? Elhers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness

Apr 25

Have you ever heard the term “double jointed”? Where you seem to be almost too flexible? Hypermobility shows itself on a spectrum of severity and can cause a multitude of problems. It can cause an imbalance in your pelvis, which is our foundation and center of gravity. When we have instability in our pelvis, it can cause issues above and below throughout the fascial system which can lead to chronic pain, tightness, or other issues. Since Elhers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month is approaching, we feel it’s important to discuss what that is and what the hypermobility spectrum looks like, since it can have varying levels of severity.

Common signs of hypermobility:

Experiencing joint pain
Sometimes mild swelling in the joints following activities such as exercise
“Loose” or “popping” joints
Issues with co-coordination/balance/instability
Joint dislocation

Simple Tests to Determine Hypermobility:

The wrist and thumb can bend and touch the forearm
The little fingers can extend beyond 90 degrees
In standing, you’ll see hyperextension or “locked out” knees
The elbows bend further back than normal when straightened out

Hypermobility can range from benign symptoms to more involved syndromes such as Elhers-Danlos Syndrome. Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, or EDS, is a connective tissue disorder that affects the skin, joints, bones, and many other organs and tissues. Roughly 1 in 5,000 people are diagnosed with EDS. There are varying symptoms as there are 13 different types. Generally, a person with EDS has hypermobility, joint instability, and dislocations while in rarer types individuals experience weakness in specific tissues and experience major gum and dental disease, even organ ruptures.

Although not completely understood, the cause of EDS is related to faults in the genes that determine how the body makes collagen. Collagen is a protein in the body that is used to make connective tissue. Connective tissue is used in our body to, as its name implies, connect tissues and is a major part of our bones, skin, muscles, tendons, and cartilage. Aside from medications for inflammation and/or pain, physical therapy and myofascial release therapy are excellent treatments for managing EDS. Physical therapy can help with muscle strengthening and stabilizing joints. PT’s can also recommend different mobilization braces to help prevent dislocations of joints.

Myofascial pain is unfortunately commonly overlooked in patients with EDS. For pain management, myofascial release therapy can be very helpful for patients as it helps to gently mobilize any tense muscles or tissue that are being overworked due to this condition, without triggering any stress. If you’d like to learn more about how myofascial release therapy is beneficial for Elhers-Danlos Syndrome, click here.

The combination of hypermobility and poor posture can lead to chronic problems and also lead to adaptive shortening of the tissues. Adaptive shortening is when tissues get shorter to adapt to a new position, which is especially seen in people with poor posture or who work jobs that require long periods at a desk, prolonged sitting, and driving. It’s also important to point out that when we have areas of hypermobility, it also leads to extra wear and tear on our joints, making them more susceptible to early degenerative arthritic changes or other issues.

The important take away for people with hypermobility issues isn’t to give them a stretching program, they require a program that is designed specifically for people with hypermobile joints, tissue, and muscles so that they can get relief in a safe and non-exacerbating way. If you are someone who is hypermobile and are looking to learn more about your treatment options, give us a call at (401)602-7006, or email us at info@aranciapt.com.