Condition : Hypermobility

Condition Hypermobility

What is hypermobility?

If you have hypermobility, often referred to as being ‘double-jointed’, you are able to bend a joint, or multiple joints, beyond the typical range of movement.

The downside of hypermobility is that you are more likely to:

experience pain and stiffness in your joints or muscles
sprain or strain parts of your body
dislocate your joints (where they ‘pop out’ from their sockets)

These symptoms usually start in childhood and lessen over time due to ageing.

Depending on the cause, hypermobility often comes with other symptoms that will continue or worsen, such as:

extreme tiredness (fatigue)
poor balance or coordination
stomach problems, like reflux or slow emptying
bladder or bowel problems, such as incontinence, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
fragile skin (bruising easily and poor wound healing)
dizziness and fainting

What causes hypermobility?

Hypermobility can be caused by:

a genetic condition that affects connective tissues, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) or Marfan syndrome
having a low muscle tone (often associated with conditions like Down’s syndrome and cerebral palsy)
an injury or repetitive strain