What are hypermobile hands?

What are hypermobile hands?

Hypermobility means your joints can move beyond the normal range of motion. You may also hear the term double-jointed. This means your joints are very flexible. The most commonly affected joints are your elbows, wrists, fingers and knees. In most people, hypermobility doesn’t cause any pain or medical issues.

How do you tell if your fingers are hypermobile?

Here’s a simple way – known as the Beighton Test – to assess your hypermobility:

1. Stand with your knees straight.
2. If you can bend one or both of your elbows slightly backward, add a point to your score.
3. If you can bend one or both of your thumbs down until they touch your inner arm, add a point for each thumb.

Is hypermobility common in kids?

Hypermobility refers to an increased range of movement in multiple joints, for their age. It is extremely common in children, having being reported in 25 to 50% of those younger than 10 years of age. The older you are the less likely it is you will be hypermobile.

What age is hypermobility be diagnosed?

Three-quarters of referrals came from paediatricians and general practitioners but in only 10% was hypermobility recognized as a possible cause of joint complaint. The average age at onset of symptoms was 6.2 yr and age at diagnosis 9.0 yr, indicating a 2- to 3-yr delay in diagnosis.

How do you treat hypermobile hands?

Place a ring of putty around the outside of the fingers and thumb. Spread your fingers and thumb as far as possible. Place a ball of playdough between two fingers and squeeze your fingers together. Repeat with your other fingers.

How do I know if my child has hypermobility?

Joint hypermobility syndrome

1. often get tired, even after rest.
2. keep getting pain and stiffness in your joints or muscles.
3. keep getting sprains and strains.
4. keep dislocating your joints (they “pop out”)
5. have poor balance or co-ordination.
6. have thin, stretchy skin.
7. have bladder or bowel problems.

How do I know if my child is hypermobile?

How does hypermobility affect a child?

Hypermobile joints are easily injured Children with joint hypermobility, muscle weakness and possibly poor coordination are more likely to complain of pain and tiredness and are more likely to suffer from joint sprains, leg pain and night pain.. The laxity in the joint ligaments make them more vulnerable to injury.

How can you tell if your child is hypermobile?

Joint hypermobility syndrome

• often get tired, even after rest.
• keep getting pain and stiffness in your joints or muscles.
• keep getting sprains and strains.
• keep dislocating your joints (they “pop out”)
• have poor balance or co-ordination.
• have thin, stretchy skin.
• have bladder or bowel problems.

How can I help my child with hypermobility?

How schools can help children with hypermobility

1. Encouraging good posture. Children should be encouraged to sit up straight, with their feet flat on the floor.
2. Providing writing aids.
3. Allowing rest breaks.
4. Not sitting on the floor.
5. Adapting PE to their needs.
6. Toilet passes.
7. Extra time.

Can you fix hypermobility in fingers?

Strengthening the muscles of the hand Muscle strengthening exercises are generally recommended for improving function in hypermobile joints.

How do I strengthen my hypermobile fingers?

Does hypermobility affect speech?

Any general bodily hypermobility or fragility of tissues could, therefore, upset the smooth working of the voice by making these movements more difficult or by the tissues of the voice box becoming more easily inflamed.

Does hypermobility affect handwriting?

A child with joint hypermobility may also have some tightness in the shoulder muscles that affects the ability to move the hand across the page for handwriting or for drawing long lines.

What helps with hypermobility in hands?

Treating joint hypermobility syndrome There’s no cure for joint hypermobility syndrome. The main treatment is improving muscle strength and fitness so your joints are better protected. A GP may refer you to a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or podiatrist for specialist advice.

How can I improve my hypermobile hands?

Is hypermobility hereditary?

What causes joint hypermobility? Joint hypermobility is often hereditary (runs in families). One of the main causes is thought to be genetically determined changes to a type of protein called collagen.

How do you treat hypermobility in children?

Help your child manage their hypermobility Keeping active and strong is important and helps reduce joint pain. Joints are more stable when they are supported by strong muscles. Encourage your child to be as active as possible. Focus on fun activities such as swimming, cycling and going to the playground.

What is joint hypermobility in children?

Children and adolescents with joint hypermobility have joints which move beyond the normal limits. Many famous gymnasts, musicians, trapeze artists and dancers have been able to achieve fame due to the flexibility of their joints. Generalised joint hypermobility is where multiple joints in the body are affected.

What is hypermobility and how common is it?

Hypermobility can be a common source of joint or muscle complaints causing fatigue, pain and possible injury. Generalised joint hypermobility is quite a common occurrence – in fact, it is just a normal variation in the way joints are put together.

What is benign hypermobility and what causes it?

Benign hypermobility describes a child that has several joints that are more flexible than usual. This happens when the connective tissue which makes up the joint structures (capsule and ligaments) is more compliant (easier to stretch) than usual.

How can physiotherapists help children with hypermobility syndrome?

Other children may have persistent problems and our team of specialist Paediatric Physiotherapists & Occupational Therapists can help to reduce the effects of hypermobility syndrome by: providing an exercise programme to increase muscle strength and endurance and thus support the joints in individual intervention sessions