Can you do what the woman in the picture is doing? If so, you might be hypermobile!
Hypermobility is a condition where your connective tissue stretches more than the average person’s. This could include joints, skin, organs, nerves, pretty much anything that is made of connective tissue (which is everything in your body). The two most commonly named conditions of hypermobility are Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) and Hypermobile Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)
Yes, there is a difference between HSD and hEDS, but regardless of diagnosis, the goal is to make YOU feel better in your body.
And YES, it is possible to live a (mostly) normal life even with these and associated conditions! I am living proof of this.
Is it “normal”?
Technically no, but it is VERY COMMON! (the person in this photo definitely has hypermobile shoulders) Common does not equal normal!
There are tons of different signs and symptoms of hypermobility, but this should not stop you from living your life. You just need the right help.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Hypermobility
These are only a few examples and do not cover everything seen with hEDS/HSD. You must be assessed by a provider to determine hypermobility.
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Stretchy skin
Velvety, soft skin
Visible veins/ “see through skin”
Atrophic scarring
Stretch marks (without having significant weight change)
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Joint subluxations or dislocations
Chronic muscle and/or joint pain
Pelvic floor issues (incontinence, pain, etc.)
Frequent sprains
Flat feet
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GI issues (constipation most frequent)
Gastroparesis
Slow digestion
Reflux
Visceroptosis
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Low blood pressure
Arrhythmias
Swelling in feet/hands
Dizziness with position changes
Fainting
Easy bruising
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Clumsiness
Difficulty with balance
Running up the stairs is less tiring than walking up
You sit/sleep in weird positions
It feels easier to breathe lying down compared to sitting or standing
Moving feels better than being still
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Depression
ADHD
Anxiety
Neurodivergence
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
Small Fiber Neuropathy (SNF)
Sleep Disorders
Endometriosis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
MANY others