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Are you “Double Jointed”? You may want to read this

You know the person- maybe it was you. Your thumb touches your forearm, you can dislocate your shoulder at will, your skin is really, really stretchy. Remember when you put your feet behind your head and walked on your hands? Everyone loves that trick. We always called it “double jointed”. It was just a passing phrase to describe those freakishly flexible folks. Just in case there are any false assumptions out there: There is no such thing as “double joints”. It’s the same joint as everyone else, the difference is that that person (your) collagen is extra stretchy; all the ligaments and tendons that are supposed to be restricting joint movement simply give way.

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 Bendy, flexible, double-jointed... it might actually be HYPERMOBILITY.

I originally meant for this to be one blog post about hypermobility, but the wealth of information I have to communicate is much too extensive - so welcome to part one! I hope to help you uncover some answers on your search to understand your bendy body more; I was in the same space once down what seemed like an endless rabbit hole. When I finally made the connection with JHS, I quite seriously cried.

 I feel smug in yoga class, but is hypermobility a blessing or a curse?

Touching the inside of the forearm with the tip of the thumb. Check. Elbows and knees that bend 10 degrees or more in the wrong direction. Double check. Pinkie fingers that flex 90 degrees backwards or more. Almost. Placing hands flat on the floor with straight legs and feet together. Easy peasy. If, like me, you can do most of these things, and other joint-defying feats that make non-bendy people feel a bit queasy, the chances are that you’re hypermobile.

 Joint Hypermobility Syndrome: Recognizing a Commonly Overlooked Cause of Chronic Pain

Joint hypermobility syndrome, also known as benign hypermobility syndrome, is a connective tissue disease characterized by joint instability, chronic pain, and minor skin changes. It shares many clinical features of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Hypermobility Type; enough so that many authorities consider them as one disease process. Approximately 3% of the general population is believed to have joint hypermobility syndrome, but despite this high prevalence, due to lack of awareness, heterogeneity of clinical presentation, and reliance on physical examination for diagnosis, it is largely overlooked by primary care physicians as well as by specialists. This leads to delayed or missed opportunities for diagnosis, and inappropriate interventions that frustrate both providers and patients. W

 Overly flexible connective tissue causes problems in joints and throughout the body − and is often missed by doctors

Connective tissue is found throughout the human body, within and between structures as varied as muscles, nerves and internal organs. Like an elaborate web, it holds everything together – providing the body shape and promoting proper movement. Many people, especially young women, have very flexible connective tissue. While flexibility is essential for childbirth – and an advantage to dancers and gymnasts – fragile and stretchy connective tissue can sometimes lead to a variety of health problems. Overly mobile joints are prone to injuries like sprained ankles, dislocated shoulders and chronic neck pain. Hypermobile connective tissue can also cause serious health problems throughout the body, including the gut, nerves, skin, urinary tract and even immune system.

 The myth of being 'double-jointed'

Humans can’t really be double-jointed, though some of us are owners of surprisingly flexible joints. And that can have some surprising effects, says Jason G Goldman. No doubt you know someone (or more likely, knew someone as a child) who boasted they were double-jointed. These braggarts would then bend their thumbs all the way back to meet their forearms

Articles of Interest

Billie Eilish Has Hypermobility — Here's What That Is

Billie Eilish is opening up about her evolving relationship with her body. "Going through my teenage years of hating myself and all that stupid shit," explained the singer in her recent Vogue cover story. "A lot of it came from my anger toward my body, and how mad I was at how much pain it’s caused me, and how much I’ve lost because of things that happened to it."

Double-jointed footballers run greater risk of injury

Research into footballers with hypermobility could help clubs to make informed choices about purchasing players.

Joint hypermobility syndrome in childhood. A not so benign multisystem disorder?

Joint hypermobility (JH) or ‘ligamentous laxity’ is felt to be an underlying risk factor for many types of musculoskeletal presentation in paediatrics, and joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS) describes such disorders where symptoms become chronic, often more generalized and associated with functional impairment/

Joint hypermobility: emerging disease or illness behaviour?

Joint hypermobility syndrome is a common clinical entity which is much misunderstood, overlooked, misdiagnosed and mistreated. It was first described in the 1960s as a purely musculoskeletal condition due to joint laxity and hypermobility occurring in otherwise healthy individuals. Some four decades later it is now perceived to be a multi-systemic heritable disorder of connective tissue with manifestations occurring far beyond the confines of the locomotor system and with ramifications potentially affecting most, if not all, of the bodily systems in one way or another. Most authorities in the field find it clinically indistinguishable from the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome – hypermobility type (formerly, EDS type III). In >50% of patients the diagnosis is delayed for ≥10 years. Failure to diagnose and treat the condition correctly results in needless pain and suffering and in many patients to a progressive decline in their quality of life and in some to a loss of independence.

Joint Hypermobility: What Causes Loose Joints?

In most people, joint hypermobility causes no problems and requires no treatment.

People with hypermobility may be more prone to long Covid, study suggests

People with excessive flexibility 30% more likely to say they had not fully recovered from Covid, research finds

What Are Hypermobility Syndromes?

A hypermobile joint can bend beyond the typical range of movement. Many people are hypermobile (around 1 in 10) – and hypermobility is more common in women and children, and people of Afro-Caribbean and Asian descent. It is common in gymnasts, athletes, dancers and musicians. Many hypermobile people have no significant symptoms (‘asymptomatic hypermobility’).

Why Does Taylor Swift Hold Her Pen Like That?

Should we be concerned? We called up occupational therapists to find out.

Why double-jointed people are more likely to have health problems

The ability to extend your joints past their normal range of motion isn’t just a harmless party trick—you may be at risk for chronic pain and conditions like long COVID and POTS.

Resources

Beighton score

The Beighton score is a popular screening technique for hypermobility. This is a nine–point scale and requires the performance of 5 manoeuvres, four passive bilateral and one active unilateral performance. It was originally introduced for epidemiological studies involving the recognition of hypermobility in populations.

Hypermobility Syndromes Association

The Hypermobility Syndromes Association is here to support everyone with symptomatic hypermobility – whatever the cause, however mildly or severely they may be affected, and whether or not they are diagnosed.

UK Hypermobility Syndrome (HMS)

A community for individuals with Hypermobility Syndrome, or other similar disorders, to share stories and information to help each other with their conditions.

Physiopedia

The Hypermobility Syndrome(HMS) was first described in 1967 by Kirk et al as the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms in hypermobile healthy persons. Meanwhile, other names are given to HMS, such as joint hypermobility syndrome and benign hypermobility joint syndrome. HMS is a dominant inherited connective tissue disorder described as “generalized articular hypermobility, with or without subluxation or dislocation.[2]The primary symptom is excessive laxity of multiple joints. [3] Hypermobility syndrome is different from localized joint hypermobility and other disorders that have generalized joint hypermobility, such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, and Marfan Syndrome.