5 Symptoms of Joint Hypermobility Syndrome You Might Not Know

I’ve always known that I was hypermobile. I mean one of my favourite tricks as a kid was bending my toes right back to freak out my friends and family. This extra flexibility means that my body has some hypotonia or low muscle tone.

However, it is only over the past few years that I have learnt more about Joint Hypermobility Syndrome and the issues that it causes within my body. Most people probably know about hypermobility and fatigue, but there are lots of other issues too.

Joint Hypermobility Syndrome is a connective tissue disorder like Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Marfan Syndrome. Connective tissues, sometimes known as soft tissues, maintain the structure of the body and support the internal organs and other tissues.

I thought I would share with you some of the issues that can come as part of Hypermobility disorders.

Stretchy Skin

Until recently I was sure I didn’t have stretchy skin.

I was sat with the physio and Ash and when I was asked about my skin I said no I don’t have stretchy skin and pulled on it to show them.

They both started laughing. Apparently, I do have quite stretchy skin! I thought my skin was totally normal and that everyone’s was the same. This is usually something that people with joint hypermobility syndrome have.

Dizziness

I’ve always suffered from getting dizzy if I sit up or stand up quickly.

However, it wasn’t until recently that I came to realise that people with hypermobile joints often have this! This can be caused by low blood pressure and an increase in heart rate which can often be seen in hypermobility.

To help to combat this, be sure to drink plenty of liquids. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these can make your body get rid of the liquids that you need to stay hydrated.

Bruising

I have always bruised easily.

In fact, I think I caused my Mum many nightmares as a child as I would come up in bruises from even the slightest touch.

There was one time she caught my arm to stop me falling flat on my face in roller skates only for me to end up with a big old handprint bruise on my arm.

Joint Dislocation

My affected joints sometimes like to pop out of place. It’s a really weird feeling and can sometimes be quite painful.

For me, it’s my toes that like to just pop out for no reason half the time. I’ve got quite good at popping them back in, after a lot of loud fussing of course. It’s also very common to experience pain in the joints and muscles. If you’re experiencing chronic pain, I’ve got some pain management tips to help you cope with pain.

Fatigue

Ah fatigue, it seems to come hand in hand with so many different things. Hypermobility and fatigue is just one of those things and it can affect your quality of life.

It is something that I can never get away from, I find myself feeling constantly exhausted. However, one day I would love to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to face the day. Chronic fatigue syndrome and sleep problems can be symptoms of hypermobility.

Hypermobility can make it difficult to get restful sleep and chronic pain can also cause sleep disturbances which will leave you feeling even more tired.

As well as hypermobility and fatigue, there are a small number of other symptoms including issues with the digestive system and a tendency to suffer from strains and sprains and chronic pain. You can have a look at more information about JHS on the NHS website.

Joint Hypermobility Syndrome is a genetic condition which is passed down from parent to child. It’s caused by faults in certain genes which make connective tissue weaker. There is no “cure” or way to stop from getting it. There are ways to ease the issues that come with it and work on the management of pain, which I am trying to work on in the long term.

It’s a good idea to join a support group or look into occupational therapy. A support group will be led by a trained leader and will be full of people going through the same experiences as you. An occupational therapist may also be able to help as it’s their job to help you overcome the effects of the syndrome and get you back to doing the activities you love. There are also many places out there that can you help deal with the adaptations to your home you may need such as Age UK Mobility. Both small and big changes around the bungalow have made such a big difference in my life.

Pin it!