Hypermobility

Many people have flexible bodies but those at the extreme end of the spectrum can be classified as ‘hypermobile’. Research shows that up to 57% of the population may be hypermobile, although this frequency changes with different nationalities and ages. Generally, most people become stiffer as they age, but this is not the case for everyone. Hypermobility can affect multiple joints or only one joint or part of the body. Some people may be hypermobile but also have other systemic issues, such as increased skin extensibility and tissue fragility that affects other areas of the body such as blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, cardiac or dental issues and many more. These people may have one of many connective tissue disorders, such as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Marfan Syndrome, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, and many more. If you are hypermobile and have other symptoms, it may be worth discussing with your GP if they may be related.

Hypermobile people can have a higher risk for injury or be more likely to have joint pain. Some other symptoms may include clicking joints, coordination problems, pain – joint related or all over, fatigue, depression, dizziness, and repeated subluxations or dislocations. Exercise can be the best medicine, but the type of exercise is very individual and may need to focus on stabilising your joints and controlling movement. People with hypermobility will often respond better to a program with low load and high reps and may need advice on pacing and gradually increasing their load to avoid a ‘boom-bust’ pattern.

At Flex, we utilise clinical Pilates and provide clients with individualised home and gym exercise programs to prevent injury and help maintain function. We will discuss your goals (short and long-term) with you, and work together to achieve them.