Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) is a condition that affects the body's connective tissues, leading to joint hypermobility. It causes your joints to become hypermobile or loose and unstable, an issue that continues throughout your lifetime. The condition can result in long-term issues like unstable joints, fatigue, and chronic pain. This limits how much you can physically do. However, a physical therapist can help increase joint strength and stability and reduce pain.

At Suarez Physical Therapy, our team of highly trained and experienced physical therapists is familiar with benign hypermobility joint syndrome. We can work with you in Las Vegas to strengthen and stabilize your joints. We can also help manage your pain and improve your quality of life. We develop a treatment program for you that includes patient education, hands-on care, and prescribed exercises to achieve the set goals.

An Overview of Benign Hypermobility Joint Syndrome

Benign hypermobility joint syndrome is a condition that affects tissues connecting various body parts. It causes the joints all through the body to become increasingly flexible. Generally, people with this condition are born with it, but its symptoms do not appear until years later. Children exhibit some extent of hypermobility, but their joints become strong and stable as they grow. However, individuals with this condition have loose joints that remain the same or worsen as they age. You could also experience a few musculoskeletal symptoms, like the following:

  • Chronic pain

  • Flat feet

  • Scoliosis

  • Kyphosis

  • Balance issues, or issues with joint position

  • Frequent injuries are caused by a loss of joint stability

  • Early development of osteoarthritis

It is difficult to tell whether you have benign hypermobility joint syndrome because its symptoms are different from one person to another. Some people experience mild symptoms, while others suffer from a severe case of joint hypermobility. Your exact diagnosis will depend on the affected joints and body parts. Here are four types of this condition that you can be diagnosed with:

Generalized Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder

A doctor will likely diagnose you with this type if most of your joints are over-flexible or hypermobile. On a scale of one to nine points, an adult with generalized hypermobility will score five points or more, while a child will score six or more. Doctors mostly use a Beighton scale to determine your score and to explicitly screen your joints for hypermobility. They will also look for two or more musculoskeletal symptoms (for muscles, bones, joints, and tissues) for an adequate diagnosis. Examples of additional symptoms that will help the doctor make a proper diagnosis include the following:

  • Frequency of joint dislocations

  • Frequency of ankle sprains

  • Severe pain in the joints

  • How easily you bruise

  • Whether you have an early onset of joint arthritis

Peripheral Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder

This is the condition a doctor will diagnose you with if your hypermobility is predominantly in your feet and hands. The doctor will check for a musculoskeletal symptom for a proper diagnosis.

Localized Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder

In this condition, you have excessive laxity in a small group of joints or only on one part of your body. Additionally, you must showcase a musculoskeletal symptom for an adequate diagnosis.

Historical Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder

Doctors diagnose this type of hypermobility after years of living with the condition, depending on your report about some symptoms of generalized hypermobility you have been experiencing. If you have been showcasing signs of hypermobility for a long time, but did not register a high score on the Beighton scale, you could be diagnosed with historical hypermobility later on. However, you must demonstrate a musculoskeletal symptom. You could also have rheumatoid inflammation.

Note: The Beighton scale is a tool doctors use to assess hypermobility on a scale of one to nine. They use the scale on various joints in the body, such that every joint scores a point if it demonstrates excessive mobility when tested.

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is another condition that affects joint hypermobility. This, too, ranges from a mild to a severe condition, depending on the severity of the condition and the affected joints. This condition is mainly linked to genes. It is also a systematic syndrome that can cause a wide range of severe symptoms, even more severe than benign hypermobility joint syndrome. In addition to affecting the functioning of your genes, this condition also affects connective tissues within the body and the ligaments. People with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome are likely to experience circulatory and digestive problems in addition to the condition’s impact on their joints and connective tissues.

A proper diagnosis for this condition requires you to show that other systems within your body and your hypermobile joints have been affected. Having a history of this condition in your family can also help with the diagnosis.

This condition is particular. It is a general term for thirteen connective tissue disorders that are genetically linked. The genetic disorder that affects you will determine the specific body tissues that will be impaired or affected.

The Signs and Symptoms of Benign Hypermobility Joint Syndrome

If you have benign hypermobility joint disorder, you will likely experience the following signs and symptoms. These should compel you to visit a doctor for diagnosis and treatment:

  • Painful joints. The pain could be random or intense for a prolonged period, without a particular cause, like an injury.

  • Over-flexible or loose joints or double joints. You will likely experience frequent muscle strains, sprains, possible joint dislocations, or spine-related issues.

  • Reduced sense of joint alignment or position that could cause balance problems

  • Excruciating back pain, especially after prolonged periods of sitting or standing

  • A dysfunctional pelvic floor that causes you problems when you try to relax or coordinate your pelvic floor muscles. Such an issue can later cause bowel issues or urine leakage.

  • Constipation

  • Frequent headaches

  • Chronic pain in the abdomen

  • Frequent popping of your joints

  • Bruising easily

  • Chronic pain in the foot, or having a flat foot

How Doctors Diagnose Benign Hypermobility Joint Syndrome

Benign hypermobility joint disorder has a genetic component that runs within families. It is a condition that can be passed from one family member to another. However, most people with the condition are born with it and do not acquire it through altered genes. Therefore, a doctor cannot diagnose your condition by conducting a genetic test and through an elimination process.

Doctors diagnose this condition depending on the signs and symptoms you have exhibited for some time. They review your treatment history and conduct a physical examination to rule out other conditions. Sometimes, the signs you showcase are enough for an adequate diagnosis. If a physical exam gives your doctor the exact results they need to rule out other conditions, they will develop a treatment plan and start you on treatment immediately.

If a physical therapist does a diagnosis, they can send you to an orthopedic expert or PCP for further examination and treatment recommendations.

Physical Therapy Treatment for Benign Hypermobility Joint Syndrome

Physical therapy is one way to treat benign hypermobility joint syndrome. In addition to strengthening and stabilizing your joints, physical therapy can manage your pain and enhance your mobility. Thus, consider working with a physical therapist immediately after your diagnosis. Physical therapists have a wide range of techniques to manage your pain and enhance the quality of your life. Additionally, your therapist can offer the following benefits:

  • Improve the strength and stability of the affected joints

  • Increase your energy levels

  • Enhance your balance

  • Enable you to function better every day

With the help of a physical therapist, you can develop a customized treatment plan that features your exact needs and goals. Here are some of the treatment strategies your therapist can include in your treatment schedule:

Workouts to Strengthen Your Muscles

Your muscles stabilize your joints. If your joints are hypermobile, they are unstable or have a greater range of motion than usual. Strengthening your muscles through physical therapy is an excellent way to stabilize your unstable joints. Strengthening your muscles is also an excellent way to manage pain and prevent injury, common issues with hypermobile joints.

Your therapist will start by developing a treatment program that suits your specific needs. They will then work closely with you to increase the strength in your body’s key muscles. If your key muscles are strong, they can keep the joints stable to protect you from frequent injuries and pain.

Workouts to Increase Your Balance and Promote Joint Awareness

A physical therapist will also recommend workouts to enhance your coordination and balance. These workouts should be geared towards a specific sport or for everyday movements. Better balance will reduce your risk of injuries and improve your general joint stability.

Techniques for Taping, Bracing, or Orthotics

When a joint becomes loose, you will need additional support to perform some activities. It becomes harder for you to perform most normal activities. Your therapist can help you with this by developing a program that will provide custom splinting, joint taping, or bracing. Sometimes, physical therapists use assistive devices to support problematic muscles during workouts. If your physical therapist is specific that this will help you, they will provide or recommend a device.

Some of the techniques used for this purpose will protect you from injuries and enable you to engage in physical activities longer. Although your physical therapist may not always recommend using supports like bracing, they can show you how to safely remain active daily.

Manual Therapy

Benign hypermobility joint syndrome and related conditions are very painful. Thus, your treatment should include pain management strategies to improve the quality of your life. Experienced physical therapists use hands-on techniques and manual therapy, like massage and joint mobilization, within the correct ROM. Your therapist can also use other strategies, like manual techniques to stabilize your joints, such as braces, joint compression garments, or taping.

These techniques can help reduce discomfort and joint pain. They can also increase your joint awareness and stability, which is essential in preventing further pain and injury.

Workouts to Strengthen Pelvic Floor and Abdominal Muscles

When you have benign hypermobility joint syndrome, your pelvic floor muscles become loose. This could cause pain and discomfort and result in incontinence or leaking. A severe condition can result in prolapse after pregnancy. Prolapse happens when internal organs slip down into your pelvic area. This condition can also cause you to experience frequent constipation.

These are other issues that you can treat with physical therapy. Highly trained physical therapists, especially those specializing in rehabilitating pelvic floors, can help you manage these conditions. A pelvic expert can also address any related severe abdominal pain.

Through Patient Education

Physical therapists know the benefits of understanding your condition to manage it at home better. Thus, your therapist will provide all the information you need to understand the condition and the dos and don'ts for improved well-being, reduced pain, and better life quality. They will explain how your condition is causing you pain and discomfort, and the issues you could experience when performing certain activities.

Your therapist will also educate you on nutrition and hydration, which can support overall health and aid in managing HSD symptoms. They will explain the healthy beverages and foods that improve your overall well-being. You can learn various techniques to manage the condition at home with their assistance.

Pain Management

You can experience moderate to severe pain with benign hypermobility joint syndrome. The pain can impair your ability to perform tasks at home or in the workplace. Pain management is one of the leading specializations of physical therapists. Your therapist will work with you to ensure you are comfortable as you engage in daily activities. They will provide tools and resources to manage pain at home. Additionally, they will incorporate exercises in your treatment program that can help with pain management.

Some of the strategies your physical therapist can use for pain management include the following:

  • Practicing mindfulness

  • Introducing activities into your program gradually

  • The use of compression socks

  • Electrical stimulation

  • The use of foot or finger splints

Effective pain management strategies can reduce reliance on pain medications, including opioids, which carry potential health risks.

In addition to all these strategies, your therapist will find you the support you need to live a better life. The support can be physical, mental, emotional, or social. For example, they can recommend visiting other healthcare providers who could offer the support you need for your particular needs.

Preventing Benign Hypermobility Joint Syndrome

Remember that this condition is generally hereditary, meaning it can be passed down from parents to their children. Thus, you cannot prevent it. Some people who have it do not know about its existence until they notice some of its signs and symptoms later in life.

However, early diagnosis and treatment can help manage pain and discomfort before the condition worsens. A regular medical checkup can help a doctor detect the condition before you start experiencing pain. Once it is treated at onset, you can enjoy better health for longer.

Looking for the Right Physical Therapist for Benign Hypermobility Joint Syndrome

Physical therapy is highly recommended to manage pain and other severe symptoms of this condition. However, you must carefully select a physical therapist to work with for the best results.

Physical therapists are recommended because they have the skills and competence to treat such conditions. Consider the following factors when looking for one:

  • Hire a certified physical therapist with a fellowship or residency in pediatric or orthopedic physical therapy. These training give physical therapists the advanced skills, knowledge, and experience they need for their condition.

  • Your physical therapist must also have profound knowledge in treating chronic pain, hypermobility, and other disorders that affect the connective tissues.

Ask for a referral from close friends, family members, or colleagues, especially from someone who has recently used the services of a physical therapist. If anyone in your social circle knows of an excellent physical therapist, they will gladly give you a review of the kind of service you can expect from the therapist.

Alternatively, look for a therapist online, where most healthcare professionals market their services today. Narrow down your search by location and the skills and experience you need. Once your search gives you a few recommendations, you can check their testimonials and reviews to choose the one that fits your needs. Take time to learn about their service before hiring them.

Find a Competent Physical Therapist Near Me

Physical therapy is an excellent way to manage pain and other severe symptoms of benign hypermobility joint syndrome. This condition will impair your ability to perform routine daily tasks and reduce the quality of your life. However, your condition can improve so much with the assistance of a physical therapist.

At Suarez Physical Therapy, we know how difficult it can be to work, enjoy life, and even perform daily tasks at home when you are experiencing severe symptoms of this condition. We can help you manage your pain and perform other workouts to strengthen and stabilize your joints in Las Vegas. We also provide reliable patient education to ensure you understand your condition better so you can manage it at home. Call us at 702-368-6778 to learn more about your health and our services.