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In medical terminology, being double-jointed is known as hypermobility, indicating a broader range of motion in some or all of your joints compared to the average person. To ascertain if you have hypermobility, consider taking the Beighton test. While hypermobility itself isn't a health issue, it can lead to joint discomfort and heighten the risk of injury. Engaging in exercises to stabilize your joints can mitigate these risks.
Essential Information
- Perform the Beighton test to assess the flexibility of your pinkies, thumbs, elbows, knees, and spine.
- Look for common hypermobility indicators such as stiff or painful joints, frequent joint dislocations, digestive problems, and easily bruised skin.
- Support your joints through proper body positioning, physical therapy, strength training, low-impact cardio exercises, and adequate hydration.
Key Steps
Using the Beighton Test
Assessing Pinky Flexibility: Position your palm and forearm on a flat surface, bending your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Lift your pinky finger towards your body. Score yourself a point for each pinky that extends beyond 90 degrees, up to a maximum of 2 points for both hands.
Evaluating Thumb Mobility: Extend your arm straight out with your palm facing down. Use your other hand to push your thumb towards your inner forearm. Score 1 point for each thumb that touches your inner forearm, with a maximum of 2 points for both thumbs.
Testing Elbow Extension: Keep your arms straight out with your palms facing upward. Lower your wrist and forearm to extend your elbow, noting any bend exceeding 10 degrees. Award yourself a point for each elbow demonstrating hypermobility.
Assessing Knee Extension: Stand with locked knees and extend them backward as far as possible. Score 1 point for each knee extending beyond 10 degrees backward, evaluating one side at a time.
Assess Spine Flexibility: Stand with feet together and knees straight. Bend at the waist, attempting to touch palms flat on the floor without bending knees. Score 1 point if achieved with locked knees.
Calculate Your Beighton Score: Sum up points from all tested joints. A score of 4 or higher indicates generalized hypermobility, where many joints exceed normal range of motion.
Important: If you demonstrated hypermobility in childhood or adolescence, it still applies even if not present now.
Identifying Additional Symptoms
Assess Joint Pain and Stiffness: Hypermobile individuals often experience joint pain and stiffness, especially post-exercise and in the evenings. Modify high-impact activities to lessen strain on joints.
Pro Tip: Soothe joint pain and stiffness with warm baths and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen.
Assess Joint Injury History: Review your medical records for frequent joint dislocations or soft-tissue injuries, which could indicate hypermobility syndrome. Note that injury types may vary based on your activities.
Check for Digestive Issues: Digestive problems such as acid reflux, constipation, and IBS are common in individuals with hypermobility syndrome due to weakened digestive muscles. Chronic conditions may be symptomatic.
Observe Skin Fragility: Hypermobile individuals often have delicate, easily bruised skin. Thin and stretchy skin prone to bruising or stretch marks may signal hypermobility syndrome, although other factors like weight loss can contribute to these symptoms.
Consult Your Doctor: If you suspect hypermobility syndrome based on joint flexibility and associated symptoms, see your doctor. They may recommend medications, lifestyle changes, or further evaluation by specialists like geneticists or rheumatologists.
Maintaining Joint Stability
Check Your Posture: Be mindful of your body alignment to keep your joints in a neutral position, reducing strain and preventing further muscle weakening. Take breaks during repetitive activities and avoid locking your knees while standing.
Consult a Physical Therapist: Ask your doctor for a referral to a physical therapist who can recommend exercises to relieve joint pain and strengthen muscles around hypermobile joints.
Strengthen Muscles Around Joints: Incorporate strength training exercises to build muscle and support hypermobile joints, starting with bodyweight exercises and gradually increasing resistance under professional guidance.
Participate in Low-Impact Cardio: Engage in cardiovascular activities like swimming or cycling to improve blood flow and reduce joint pain without adding stress to your joints.
Alternative: Consider practicing yoga or pilates, which can be enjoyable exercises for hypermobile individuals. These activities also aid in strengthening the muscles supporting your joints. However, be cautious not to overextend your joints, even if encouraged by an instructor. Avoid advanced yoga classes, such as hot yoga, to prevent overstretching ligaments.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water, particularly after physical activity, is crucial for joint health. Adequate hydration helps prevent stiffness and pain in the joints. Consume a full glass of water before and after exercise, with additional water available for hydration during the activity.
Maintain Joint Activity: Avoid remaining in one position for more than 30 minutes at a time. If necessary, shift your weight or fidget to keep your joints active. Continuously adjust your posture while sitting or standing to avoid excessive stress on the joints.
Additional Advice
- Women are often more prone to hypermobility than men.
- Hypermobility may affect one side of the body more than the other or specific joints rather than all joints.
Cautionary Notes
- A high Beighton test score indicates hypermobility, but it does not necessarily imply hypermobility syndrome. Additional symptoms are required for a diagnosis of hypermobility syndrome.
- When performing the Beighton test on yourself, exercise caution to avoid injury. Cease if you experience discomfort while attempting to flex or extend your joints.
- If you have hyper-flexibility, refrain from overextending your joints merely for demonstration or entertainment purposes. Doing so not only increases the risk of injury but also contributes to further joint instability.
- In rare cases, hypermobility may be a manifestation of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a genetic disorder affecting connective tissues such as joints and ligaments.
