The Curse of Hypermobility

The curse of Hypermobility

When I was young, being 'double jointed' was really cool. I could freak people out simply by stretching up, clasping my hands together, and pulling my elbows apart. This caused my shoulder blades to 'wing out' rather disgustingly.

At the tender age of 24, my upper back / shoulder blades felt uncomfortable. Even driving or locking the door behind me became a pain. I became less flexible. Then started 5 months of physio.

At my initial assessment I was told I'm hypermobile (-the medical term for double-jointedness, a genetic condition) and bad posture over the years had contributed to my discomfort. I was advised to keep moving and keep good posture to prevent future problems.

Since my first bout of physio, whenever I've felt my upper back or shoulders go, I've resolved the situation through my physio exercises. However, when at 28 my spine continually ached and I began slouching in order to 'sit comfortably', my lower back went and I didn't have any physio exercises to help. This led to me requesting a 'new spine' from my doctor, who promptly sent me for more physio, who referred me to the gym to build up the muscles around my spine.

So now I'm subject to a life of good posture, helped by regular exercise.

False Myths The Truth

You're literally double-jointed You use more muscles for a movement than is necessary.

You're flexible To a certain extent you are. However, the reality is you over-exercise muscles which can lead to a sudden inability to move. As a result you have to be constantly aware of the consequences of your actions. Even getting out of bed the wrong way can lead to a day of immobility and constant pain.

Any exercise will help You need to concentrate on exercising the 'core muscles' in order to train your body to move effeciently. If you join a fitness class, you need to know your limits and ensure you keep good posture throughout. It is rare for a fitness instructor to understand your situation, so if you're uncertain about movement, ask your physio.

Only a hypermobile person can truely understand another hypermobile person's sudden inability to move for seemingly no reason. To learn more, click here.

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False Myths	The Truth
You're literally double-jointed	You use more muscles for a movement than is necessary.
You're flexible	To a certain extent you are. However, the reality is you over-exercise muscles which can lead to a sudden inability to move. As a result you have to be constantly aware of the consequences of your actions. Even getting out of bed the wrong way can lead to a day of immobility and constant pain.
Any exercise will help	You need to concentrate on exercising the 'core muscles' in order to train your body to move effeciently. If you join a fitness class, you need to know your limits and ensure you keep good posture throughout. It is rare for a fitness instructor to understand your situation, so if you're uncertain about movement, ask your physio.