Connective tissue disorders and injuries such as ligament sprains can lead to hypermobility, also referred to as joint laxity or instability and "double-jointed." Strength and balance exercises might help manage hypermobility, improving joint function and reducing your risk of injury. Because some disorders have additional symptoms and complications, consult your physician before starting a new exercise program.
Causes and Risk Factors
Benign joint hypermobility syndrome or BJHS is a connective tissue disorder that causes joint laxity and at times joint pain. Other conditions that can cause joint hypermobility include Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danos syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis. Unlike BJHS, Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danos syndrome cause cardiac problems and skin abnormalities, respectively. Dislocations and ligament sprains can also lead to joint hypermobility, but only in the injured joint. Risk factors include your age, sex and family history.
Strength-training
Strengthening the muscles surrounding your joints improves stability and therefore manages hypermobility. Lower body strength exercises include calf raises, squats, lunges, leg extensions, hamstring curls, and hip abduction and adduction. Upper-body exercises include chest press, seated row, overhead press and shoulder extension. Progressions include increasing your resistance and repetitions or combining lower and upper body lifts such as lunging with an overhead press. To achieve the best results, strength-train two to three days a week on machines or with dumbbells or resistance bands. Perform one to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise.
Stability Exercises
Stability or balance exercises further improve joint stability or proprioception. Single-leg balance, standing on a wobble board and single-leg hops are excellent stabilization exercises for your ankles, knees and hips. Stabilization exercises for your shoulders, elbows and wrists include arm circles, hand planks and ball rolls on the wall. A hand plank is simply holding a push-up position for 15 to 60 seconds and variations include alternating arm raises or hip extensions. Ball rolls on the wall are when you roll a medicine ball or rubber ball on the wall with your elbow straight and your arm either at shoulder height or raised straight up. Perform exercises three to five days a week.
Additional Considerations
Avoid high-intensity and repetitive exercises, as well as excessive stretching of your joints. You might perform stretches, but guidance from a physical therapist or personal trainer is highly recommended to prevent injury. A physical therapist can also provide additional exercises tailored to your needs and activities. Furthermore, osteopathic manipulative treatment can improve joint stability and reduce pain associated with hypermobility, according to a 2006 article in the Journal of The American Osteopathic Association.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Benign Hypermobility Syndrome
- "The Journal of The American Osteopathic Association"; Benign Joint Hypermobility Syndrome: Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Management; Michael R. Simpson; September 2006
- "Strength Training Anatomy"; Frederic Delavier; 2006
