Hypermobility is a condition where joints move beyond the typical range of motion, leading to various challenges, including joint pain, an increased risk of injury, chronically tight muscles, headaches, and poor coordination. For those living with hypermobility, physical therapy can be an essential tool in managing symptoms and improving quality of life. Whether hypermobility is a minor inconvenience or a defining component of daily life; formally diagnosed Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or a personal suspicion, understanding how physical therapy for hypermobility works can help individuals regain control and improve their daily activities.
What Is Hypermobility?
Hypermobility occurs when the collagen in connective tissues like ligaments and tendons forms incorrectly, allowing joints to move more freely. This condition can affect a single joint or multiple joints throughout the body, often leading to instability and discomfort. Generalized joint hypermobility, where several joints are affected, can lead to a range of symptoms, including joint pain, frequent sprains, dislocations, and early onset osteoarthritis.
Key Concepts:
- Beighton Score: A system used to assess the degree of joint hypermobility. The Beighton score ranges from 0 to 9, with a higher score indicating greater hypermobility. Not all people with hypermobility will score high on the Beighton, as joint mobility can change with age and training.
- Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder: A form of connective tissue disorder that includes hypermobility and associated symptoms, without a known genetic component.
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS): A connective tissue disorder with 13 sub-classifications, including hypermobile type. Some people with EDS have symptoms such as skin elasticity, hypertrophic scarring, cardiovascular or gastrointestinal dysfunction in addition to joint hypermobility and pain. Some people with particular sub-types of EDS do not even have joint hypermobility. EDS can be detected by genetic testing.
The Role of Physical Therapy in Managing Hypermobility
Physical therapy for hypermobility focuses on strengthening stabilizing muscles, improving joint stability, and reducing pain. By targeting specific areas of weakness, physical therapists can help hypermobile individuals regain strength and function, allowing them to perform daily activities more comfortably.
Key Benefits:
- Strengthening Stabilizing Muscles: Physical therapists design exercises that focus on the muscles surrounding hypermobile joints. Strengthening these muscles helps reduce the strain on the joints, leading to increased stability and decreased pain.
- Improving Range of Motion: Although hypermobility involves an excessive range of motion, it’s essential to maintain controlled movement. Physical therapy aims to optimize the range of motion, ensuring that joints move safely and efficiently.
- Managing Pain: Manual therapy, stretching, and targeted exercises are used to reduce pain and improve the overall function of hypermobile joints. Pain management is crucial for those with hypermobility, as chronic discomfort can severely impact daily life.
- Improving Proprioception: People with hypermobility also tend to have relatively poor proprioception, or knowledge of where their bodies are in space. This can lead to behaviors easily mistaken for clumsiness or an attention deficit. By using manual and visual cues and modifying exercises, a physical therapist can help you learn to improve your proprioception.
Common Techniques Used in Physical Therapy for Hypermobility
Physical therapy incorporates various techniques tailored to the needs of hypermobile individuals. These methods focus on enhancing joint stability, managing pain, and improving overall physical function.
- Manual Therapy
- Joint Mobilizations: Techniques that involve moving the joints within their range of motion to improve alignment and reduce pain due to subluxations.
- Soft Tissue Mobilizations: Helps to release tension in muscles and connective tissues, which can become tight or overworked due to joint instability.
- Muscle Energy Techniques: These techniques involve using the force of your own muscles to pull your joints into a more comfortable and stable position. These techniques are often used by patients to self-manage their conditions.
- Exercise Programs
- Strengthening Exercises: Target muscles around hypermobile joints, promoting stability and reducing the risk of injury.
- Proprioceptive Training: Exercises that improve body awareness, helping individuals control their joint movements more effectively.
- Coordination Exercises: Exercises that improve a person’s ability to use multiple muscle groups in tandem, in order to improve functional activities such as sitting, standing, rolling, and walking.
- Education and Lifestyle Modifications
- Postural Training: Teaching postural awareness and training postural endurance to reduce strain on hypermobile joints and muscles during daily activities.
- Activity Modification: Advising on how to modify or avoid certain activities that could exacerbate symptoms, ensuring safer participation in daily routines and facilitating independence.
Special Considerations for Hypermobility Syndrome
For those diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome, a more comprehensive approach is often required. This condition involves not just joint hypermobility but also symptoms like chronic pain, fatigue, and, in some cases, issues with other body systems such as Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.
Comprehensive Management Plan:
- Multidisciplinary Care: Working with a team that may include rheumatologists, occupational therapists, and other specialists to address the broad range of symptoms associated with hypermobility syndrome.
- Personalized Exercise Programs: Tailored to the individual’s specific symptoms, these programs can help manage pain and improve function, considering the unique challenges posed by hypermobility syndrome. It’s very important to adjust and modify any program regularly, as the body’s response to exercise therapy can change.
- Ongoing Support: Continuous guidance from physical therapists ensures that the exercise and therapy programs remain effective as the individual’s needs evolve.
How to Get Started with Physical Therapy for Hypermobility
If you suspect hypermobility is affecting your joints, consulting a physical therapist is a crucial first step. A professional evaluation, which may include the Beighton score or other assessments, can help determine the extent of hypermobility and the best course of action. Not all physical therapists are familiar with hypermobility, and it is important to see a therapist prepared to treat in the context of these complex conditions. Physical therapy with a therapist unfamiliar with the peculiarities of hypermobility can be detrimental.
Steps to Take:
- Seek a Professional Evaluation: A thorough assessment by a qualified physical therapist can identify hypermobility and any related symptoms, providing a clear path forward.
- Develop a Personalized Therapy Plan: Based on your specific needs, your therapist will design a program to strengthen stabilizing muscles, improve joint stability, and manage pain.
- Stay Consistent: Regular participation in your physical therapy program is essential for achieving long-term results. Consistency ensures that your body continues to respond to the exercise input that is helping.
The Long-Term Benefits of Physical Therapy for Hypermobility
Physical therapy offers long-term benefits for those with hypermobility, from reducing pain to improving overall function. By focusing on stabilizing muscles and optimizing joint movements, individuals can lead more active lives, less limited by pain. Whether dealing with generalized joint hypermobility, Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, or just a suspicion thereof, physical therapy is a powerful tool for managing symptoms and enhancing quality of life.
Key Takeaways:
- Physical therapy for hypermobility is crucial in managing pain and improving the stability and function of hypermobile joints and soft tissues.
- Strengthening exercises, manual therapy, and lifestyle modifications play a vital role in the treatment process.
- Consistent and personalized therapy programs can lead to significant improvements in daily activities and overall well-being.
Physical therapy is a proven, effective approach to managing hypermobility, offering hope and practical solutions to those affected by this condition. Start your journey toward improved joint stability and comfort today. Call us with any questions.
