In the medical world, extreme joint flexibility is called hypermobility. People with hypermobility have a wider range of motion than the normal range of motion. To find out how flexible your joints are, do the Beighton test. Hypermobility is not a disease or a health problem, but it can trigger joint pain and increase the risk of injury. Protect joints from injury by doing exercises to stabilize the joints.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Performing the Beighton's Test
Step 1. Bend your little finger back as far as possible
Place your palms and forearms on the table while bending your elbows 90°. Hold the left little finger with the right hand and pull it closer to the body. If your little finger can be bent more than 90°, your little finger joint is hypermobilized.
Do the same test on the right little finger. Give a value of 1 for each ring finger that can be pulled back more than 90°. The maximum score for this test is 2
Step 2. Pull your thumb down toward your arm
Bring your forearms forward with your palms facing down. Pull the thumb close to the forearm with the other hand. If your thumb can touch your forearm, your thumb joint is hypermobilized.
Do the same test on the other thumb. Give a score of 1 for each thumb that can touch the forearm. The maximum score for this test is 2
Step 3. Straighten your arms and pull your forearms back
Straighten your arms in front of you at shoulder height with your palms facing up. Grab your wrist and pull it down to stretch the elbow crease, but don't let it hurt. If the forearm descends with an incline exceeding 10°, give a score of 1.
- If you are doing this test without the help of another person, stand in front of a mirror. To make it easier to see where your arms are, look at the angles of your elbows one at a time, rather than all at once.
- Measuring elbow joint hypermobility yourself is not easy. If measurements are taken by a physical therapist, he or she usually uses an angle measuring device called a goniometer.
Step 4. Bend your knees back
Stand with your knees locked and push your knees back as far as you can, but don't hurt them. If the knees bend back more than 10°, assign a score of 1 to each knee.
- If you are doing this test yourself, stand in front of a long mirror so you can see your whole body and look at each knee.
- As with the elbow, knee hypermobility is difficult to determine on its own. If your knees can bend backwards when you stand with your knees locked, this means you have knee joint hypermobility.
Step 5. Lean forward and place your palms on the floor
Stand straight with your feet together and your knees straight, but don't lock them. You have spinal hypermobility if your palms can touch the floor in front of your feet without bending your knees.
Give a score of 1 if you can do this movement while straightening both knees
Step 6. Add up the values obtained to determine the degree of joint flexibility
You have hypermobility if you get a score of 4 or more. This means, many joints whose range of motion exceeds the normal range of motion.
Even if your score is relatively low, hypermobility can occur in other joints not evaluated by the Beighton test, such as the jaw, neck, shoulder, hip, ankle, and toe joints
Tip:
If you were able to do the above movements as a child or teenager, but can't now, you have joint hypermobility.
Method 2 of 3: Detecting Other Symptoms
Step 1. Observe how sore and stiff your joints are
People with hypermobility often experience muscle pain and stiffness, especially after exercise. These complaints usually appear at night.
If your joints feel sore after exercising, do something else. Hard impact training is particularly risky for hypermobilized joints. For example, if you like running, you might as well cycle to reduce the intensity of your workout to a light impact and then observe the difference
Tip:
Treat joint pain and stiffness by soaking in warm water and taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs.
Step 2. Consider a history of joint dislocation
If you experience frequent joint dislocations, such as dislocated shoulder joints or muscle injuries, such as sprains or ligaments torn, these symptoms indicate hypermobility syndrome.
Injuries are affected by the physical activity performed. For example, soccer players who often suffer from knee injuries do not necessarily have hypermobility syndrome because soccer puts a lot of stress on the knees
Step 3. Consider a history of indigestion
Some problems with the digestive system, such as gastric acid reflux, constipation, and irregular bowel movements are complained by people who have hypermobility syndrome. Although the cause has not been determined, it can be caused by weak digestive tract muscles.
- Even if you have joint hypermobility, occasional indigestion is not necessarily a symptom of hypermobility syndrome. In contrast, chronic digestive disorders that are treated medically show symptoms of hypermobility syndrome.
- Urination is not smooth indicates the presence of hypermobility syndrome.
Step 4. Pay attention to the condition of your skin
People with hypermobility syndrome generally have thin and very elastic skin that is very fragile and easily torn. If your skin bruises easily or stretch marks appear, this could be a sign of hypermobility syndrome.
Apart from hypermobility syndrome, stretch marks and bruises are often caused by other problems. For example, weight loss and pregnancy can cause stretch marks, but are not necessarily symptoms of hypermobility syndrome
Step 5. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor
Consult a doctor if you have joint hypermobility and some of the symptoms of hypermobility syndrome. Tell your doctor that you want to confirm whether or not you have hypermobility syndrome and write down the symptoms that led you to this conclusion. Usually, your doctor will prescribe medication to relieve joint pain and stiffness or other symptoms. In addition, the doctor will explain the activities to avoid or the lifestyle that needs to be implemented.
- Hypermobility syndrome is difficult to diagnose, especially if your doctor doesn't have your full medical record. Your doctor will check your joint flexibility and suggest that you have blood tests or x-rays to determine the cause of the problem before making a diagnosis.
- If you've had a dislocated joint or muscle injury in the same part of your body, talk to your doctor about it and tell him what you were doing when the injury occurred. Doctors are able to determine the cause of the injury, for example due to symptoms of hypermobility syndrome or other problems.
- For a more detailed evaluation, your doctor will refer you to a genetic or rheumatism specialist.
Method 3 of 3: Stabilizing the Joints
Step 1. Monitor posture so that the joints are always neutral
Try to be aware of and adjust your posture as often as possible so that the joints are always in a neutral position. At first, you may need to keep reminding yourself, but after some time, you will get used to keeping the joint in a neutral position (not bent or locked).
- Hypermobilized joints are usually weak. Try to keep the joint neutral so that the surrounding muscles do not become weak.
- If you've been doing the same movements for several hours, such as typing or knitting, take a break to relax the joints.
- Do not lock your knees while standing. Keep your knees relaxed or slightly bent.
- Good posture can reduce back and neck pain that often occurs if you have spinal joint hypermobility.
Step 2. Get a referral from a doctor to consult a physical therapist
He can explain how to do certain stretches and exercises to relieve joint pain and strengthen the muscles that support hypermobility. Instead of seeking information on your own, it's quicker to see a physical therapist if there is a referral from a doctor.
- A physical therapist is usually willing to help you practice. Plus, he'll teach you how to do some of the moves you need to practice at home every day.
- If your joints or muscles hurt when you do any stretches or movements recommended by your physical therapist, let them know as soon as possible so they can examine your joints and adjust your exercise program.
Step 3. Perform exercises to strengthen and stabilize the muscles supporting the joints
Muscles around joints that are weak due to hypermobility can also become weak. Prevent this by lifting weights to strengthen muscles, relieve joint pain, and reduce the risk of injury.
- Start running a muscle-strengthening exercise program according to your ability. If you've never trained to lift weights, use your own body as a weight for the first 2-4 weeks. Once you get used to it, use very light dumbbells or dumbbells and increase the weight a little at a time.
- Take the time to consult with your doctor or physical therapist before lifting weights to find out the correct exercise techniques and movements that are beneficial or should be avoided.
- Do isometric exercises to strengthen joints without putting stress on the joints, such as straightening your legs up while lying on your back.
Step 4. Do light impact cardio exercises 3-5 times a week
Exercise for cardiovascular training is useful for improving blood flow and increasing oxygen levels in the muscles so that joint pain and stiffness is reduced. Light impact cardio exercises, such as swimming or cycling, prevent joints from being overstressed.
Don't do high-impact cardio, such as running or jumping, as these activities put too much stress on your joints
Variation:
Yoga and Pilates are especially suitable for people with joint hypermobility. However, do the movement according to ability and do not do joint flexion or extension excessively even with the help of the instructor. Avoid energy-draining yoga classes, such as hot yoga. This exercise can cause ligaments to sprain or tear.
Step 5. Drink plenty of water every day, especially after exercising
Make sure you stay hydrated to keep your joints healthy and prevent joint pain or stiffness. Get in the habit of drinking a glass of water before and after exercising. Take a sip of water while exercising.
In general, fit adult men need at least 3.7 liters of water per day and fit adult women need 2.7 liters of water per day. Everyone's needs are different depending on weight, local climate and daily activities
Step 6. Keep your joints moving as you go about your daily life
If you work while sitting, take time to walk or move your body every 30 minutes. Do light stretches or shift your weight by resting on the other leg if you sit or stand for a long time with a certain posture.
Maintain good posture when standing or sitting to avoid putting too much pressure on the joints
Tips
- Joint hypermobility can be experienced only on one side of the body or certain joints.
- Women experience hypermobility more often than men.
Warning
- When performing the Beighton test without the assistance of another person, perform each movement carefully to prevent injury. Do not continue if the joint hurts when you flex or extend.
- A high score after the Beighton's test is a sign of joint hypermobility, but you don't necessarily have hypermobility syndrome. Diagnosis can be made if there are other symptoms.
- If you have a very flexible body, don't overstretch your joints or muscles because you want to brag or be stylish. In addition to triggering injury, this makes the joint weak or unstable.
- Sometimes, hypermobility is a symptom of Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects connective tissues, such as the lining of joints and ligaments.
