Understanding Hypermobility
Most people commonly know hypermobility as the different limbs overstretching at the joint. However, there is more than meets the eye and it is always useful to gain a deeper understanding and to know when to seek help.
Hypermobility is caused by a variety of reasons but it all results in the connective tissue not restricting the joint to the ânormalâ ranges of motion. This reduction in stability can be due to different reasons such as shallow joint sockets, poor muscle tone or connective tissue which can stretch more easily. Read more below about the different causes of hypermobility:
- Ligament Laxity
Ligaments are made of several type so protein such as elastin and collagen. The extent of how loose your ligaments are can result in joints having an increase range of motion. If you have more elastic ligaments and weakened collagen fibres, this can lead to a reduced ability to keep the joint in a ânormalâ range. This can result in an increased muscular effort to aid stability before movement can occur.
- Joint Socket Shape
If the joint socket is shallow, then the range of movement from the socket will be greater than normal. This can result in an increased risk of dislocation, pain, and wear and tear.
- Proprioceptive Feedback
This is the bodyâs way of processing information from your skin, muscles, joints and tendons so it knows about the bodyâs position such as if your leg is bent or straight. If this feedback is affected, the body may not be able to sense when a joint is overstretched.
- Muscle Tone
Muscle tone describes the partial contraction in the muscles which is also known as âalways at the readyâ. This helps with balance, posture and as a safety mechanism. If these muscles are weaker or more relaxed due to the control of the nervous system, the wider the range of movement there is in the joint.
Hypermobility is also considered to have hereditary tendency. However, this is not an inherited disease, it can be common as individual traits are might be common, such as for eye colour. There are many heritable connective tissue disorders, most of them have similar symptoms.
Physical Symptoms from Hypermobility
Hypermobility may not be the sole reason for the different musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) one maybe experiencing but it can be a major contributing factor. Common MSDs which hypermobility can increase the risk of are as follows:
Bursitis:
Around the joints and other moving parts of the body are small fluid filled sacs called bursa. These are used to act as a cushion and reduce friction between the moving joints and bones. However, when the bursae are agitated from larger movements from the joints, this can create bursitis. Bursitis is known as an inflamed bursa sac. Due to the sacs enlarging as it is filled with more fluid from it being inflamed. This can result in a lot of pain and discomfort, with the most susceptible areas being hips, shoulders and elbows.
Sprains:
Sprains can occur when the joint twists, rolls or is forced into a position which is outside the normal position, causing the ligaments to stretch or tear. This can occur due to a variety of reasons, however if the connective tissue has too much elasticity this can lead to a higher risk of the joint moving into abnormal positions.
Tendinopathies:
Itâs maybe clear from the name, but tendinopathies is a term used to describe tendon injuries which can either be inflamed or not. These injuries can occur due to lack of control of movement in the tendon, this can be caused by hypermobility, or overuse of the tendon. Overall, tendinopathies occur due to the rate of recovery being slower than the rate of loading stress to the tendon.
Plantar Fasciitis:
This is due to the ligament, plantar fascia, is strained either from overuse or unsupportive shoes. This ligament supports your heel bone to your toes. It can be very painful with it worsening with activity.
Muscle Spasms:
Spasmâs can occur due to a variety of reasons; however, it can be due to muscles reflexing and tightening, protecting a painful area or nerve irritation. These muscle spasms can sometimes be more painful than the original injury. Equally muscle imbalances can form due to our habitual postures and this can lead to over active muscles going into spams, trying to protect the weaker and deeper muscles in the body.
If you are struggling with any of these symptoms, please get in contact with us. We can help you find out the cause, with it potentially being hypermobility!