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Hypermobility
Background
The term hypermobility means 'more movement' and describes the over flexibility of the joints. Hypermobility syndrome (HMS) is an inherited condition in which the protein, collagen, which makes up the supporting tissues and gives the body its intrinsic toughness, is more flexible than usual. A person's joints are lax because they have inherited looser and more brittle connective tissue, particularly their ligaments, tendons, joints and muscles. This makes the joints more mobile, sometimes unstable, thus more prone to injury. Some children may have more severe problems that may lead to subluxations (excessive movement of the joint) or dislocations. The degree of difference and hence tendency towards painful symptoms, varies from individual to individual, even in the same family.
HMS is a composite term bringing together all the various difficulties that may arise in people with hypermobile or lax joints. It is probably more correct to refer to the Hypermobility syndromes (in the plural) as a family of genetically based conditions which differ not only in the particular protein affected, but also in the degree of difference of formation. At one end of the spectrum are the diseases with potentially serious complications such as Marfan syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome Vascular Type (formally EDS IV) see entries. At the other end, are what is now called, on good evidence, the Benign Joint Hypermobility syndrome (BJHS) or Ehlers-Danlos Hypermobile Type (formerly EDS III). These may cause troublesome and persistent problems but do not affect the vital organs and thus do not pose a serious threat to life. Because joints do not look arthritic, the problem is often overlooked by health professionals.
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