Read more about treating joint hypermobility. Managing the condition may therefore also involve treating short-term injuries as they arise, while following a long-term treatment plan to manage daily symptoms. The nature of JHS means that you are at increased risk of injuries, such as dislocations and sprains. People with JHS often benefit from a combination of controlled exercise and physiotherapy, as well as additional help to manage pain and make everyday tasks easier. However, JHS can be very difficult to live with because it can cause such a wide range of symptoms. Most people with hypermobile joints won't experience any problems and won't require any medical treatment or support. Read more about the causes of joint hypermobility. JHS is widely thought to be a feature of an underlying condition affecting connective tissue called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS).

As a result, the joints can extend further than usual. If collagen is weaker than it should be, tissues in the body will be fragile, which can make ligaments and joints loose and stretchy. One of the main causes is thought to be genetically determined changes to a type of protein called collagen.Ĭollagen is found throughout the body – for example, in skin and ligaments (the tough bands of connective tissue that link two bones together at a joint). Joint hypermobility is often hereditary (runs in families). Read more about the symptoms of joint hypermobility and diagnosing joint hypermobility.

If hypermobility occurs alongside symptoms such as these, it is known as joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS).

digestive problems – such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

joints that dislocate (come out of the correct position) easily.

pain and stiffness in the joints and muscles.

However, some people with joint hypermobility can have a number of unpleasant symptoms as well, such as: Many people with hypermobile joints don't have any problems, and some people – such as ballet dancers, gymnasts and musicians – may actually benefit from the increased flexibility. Joint hypermobility is what some people refer to as having 'loose joints' or being 'double-jointed'. People with hypermobility are particularly supple and able to move their limbs into positions others find impossible. Joint hypermobility means that some or all of a person's joints have an unusually large range of movement.

Example of a flat bone