Managing Hypermobility for Children and Teens

Hypermobility aids, toys, tools and for kids, children and teens.

Joints that are more flexible than normal or that move in excess of a normal range of motion are referred to as hypermobile. When people have multiple hypermobile joints, hypermobility becomes Hypermobility Syndrome or Joint Hypermobility Syndrome. Rarely, children may have a more widespread connective tissue disorder associated with their hypermobility such as Marfan or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Hypermobile children are more prone to sprains, soft tissue injuries and dislocations of the affected joints. They are also more likely to have impaired joint position sense, back pain and flat feet. Some children may have chronic pain. Most children become less flexible as they grow older, and so their symptoms can improve.

Management is specific to each child and depends on the joints involved, the severity and the impact on function. We often need to look at:

* Strategies to support posture and positioning (eg slope boards, move'n'sit cushions, pencil grips, thumb supports - all the resources you can see below). This can also include a visit to the podiatrist to look at supports for feet.

* Joint protection techniques (eg learning to stand with knees slightly bent and tummy tucked in, pain management techniques)

* Activities/exercises for muscle strengthening to stabilise joints and prevent joint injuries - this includes core stability work and stretches for tight muscles as well. Again, lots of ideas below.

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