I've been told, alternately, that I have 'hypermobile' joints and that I have 'hyperflexible' joints.

I have 19 joints that sublux on a semi-regular basis (4 fingers, both thumbs, both wrists, L shoulder, L hip, L knee, both ankles, 6 toes) and neck and back problems. I can also do the thumb-touching-forearm thing on both hands and a few other 'joints move really far' parlor tricks.

I've had 4-6 full dislocations of the left shoulder, and may have had 1 full dislocation of the right wrist and 1 of the left hip, 1 full dislocation on 8 toes (yeah, that day sucked), and repeat dislocations on several fingers and both thumbs. Not sure on the numbers here 'cause they've all relocated themselves and I'm not sure if they were just severe subluxes or actual dislocations, with the exception of 2 shoulder dislocations and 1 thumb dislocation where I actually saw how badly the joint was out of place.

So is there a difference between 'hypermobile' and 'hyperflexible', does it matter, and which d'ya think I've got?

Thanks for anything you guys can offer! I'd love to know the 'proper' name for this and the docs can't seem to agree!

~Blaze

Right, Anatomy 101, i.e. technically/theoretically-medically speaking: Flexion is defined as any movement that decreases the angle between the bones or parts of the body and extension is any movement that increases the angle between the bones or parts of the body. For a little illustration of this, click here. Next pearl: Each joint has a normal range of motion. Example: for you knee, normal extension is 180°, i.e. a straight line. So your knee is in full extention when your leg is a straight line. When the knee is in full extension, i.e. straight leg, normal flexion is 140°. These are the text book figures. Taking this into account, technically-medically speaking, hyperflexion is when a joint flexes beyond the normal range of movement. So if your knee flexes > 140°, it's hyperflexible. (The same goes for extention btw, if your knee extends > 180°, it's in hyperextensio).

Hypermobility is a general term. Hypermobile simply means that the joint has movement beyond it's range. A hypermobile joint can be hyperflexible or hyperextendible or both or hyper-pretty much anything else. (For the record, flexion and extension is only one type of movement, there's also external / internal rotation, pronation, supination, adduction, abduction etc.)

Now, practically-medically speaking: Once you get out into the real world, theoretical terms aren't always that useful. Take the knee joint again as an example. Theoretically speaking, normal ROM is straightening the leg at an angle of 180°. However, hyperextention of 10 - 15° is common, generally does not affect the stability of the joint and hence are viewed practically as normal. It's only when hyperextention of the knee reaches >20° that medical professionals will begin to think hyperextention. As for flexion, most people can only reach an angle of about 120°, but since normal functioning, unless you're a yoga practitioner, only requires 110°, medical professionals rarely worry about a loss of 20° and won't see it as significant unless there's other factors that come into play that may make it significant. So, a little bit of too much or too little ROM is generally not seen as something to worry about.

Logical deduction: A hypermobile joint may not be hyperflexible, but a hyperflexible joint is always hypermobile, so in some situations the terms hyperflexible / hypermobile can be used interchangeably. The short answer to your question: the difference between hyperflexible and hypermobile is that hyperflexible joints have an excessive ROM on flexion whereas a hypermobile joint have an excessive ROM in any one and any number of movement types.

Great lesson!

I was curious myself. My knees are hypermobile but not hyperflexible...hmm cool!

Oh neat thanks! That's /exactly/ what I wanted to know!

So my joints are in general hyperflexible, and quite a few of them are also hypermobile in other ways. I /was/ kind of confused by the difference. I think I'm hyperflexible with the potential of being hypermobile, but not actually hypermobile until either an excess of force is applied or thereafter. (Er, that is to say, once they're injured they /stay/ hypermobile in multiple directions, but until they're injured - which happens much more easily than it should - they're only hyperflexible).

~Blaze

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:30 am Post subject:

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my new PT told me that I have hypermobility...I can touch my palms to the ground with my knees fully extended, and my fingers hyperextend a little at the knuckle, and my forearm goes back further than normal...any other stuff I just don't notice, b/c I'm used to it. She did say that it's a real problem b/c of increased vulnerability to injury.

It's weird though, because as far as my palms reaching to the ground, I couldn't always do that... I used to dance and I could only do that after lots of stretching...maybe b/c I was always hypermobile but the fibro made my leg muscles too tight for me to notice? I don't know. I do get severe knee pain and neck/back pain, but then again I have fibro lol. This is all new to me...I didn't think any of my motion was irregular before today.

hi iv been told i have hyper flexible joints i can dislocate my sholders this happens daily and every joint in my body cracks. im a bit confused though coz iv got thight tendons in my legs ans cant straiten them when i sit up.(strange).
iv been told i also have a condistion called gait but when i tryed to find out wat it was there was to much info. im also autstic i was wondering if its all conected can someone help me eneyone help!!!!!!!!

I'm autistic too.

There's talk that hypermobility and autism are connected but my EDS specialist said that they won't be able to really study it as autism's so common anyway.

Even though I have EDS I have tight IT bands in my hips...you can be hypermobile etc and still have tight spots!

I think you got that backwards...

Your joints are hypermobile (as hyperflexible joints are by design also hypermobile) and some of your hypermobile joints are also hyperflexible...

I have some hyperflexible joitns as well (I think) I can sit on the floor and bend my knee right up so the heel/ sole sits against my butt (only on one leg now as the other knee has been reconstructed twice and no longer has the ROM that it used to).

I too am a dislocator/ subluxor and I tend to "blow"/ tear my ligaments a Lot...

Has anyone mentioned Hypermobility Syndrome or Ehers Danlos Syndrome or any of the other HCTD's (Hereditary Connective Tissue Disorders/ Diseases) to you??? As it is NOT considered normal to have multiple dislocating joints without having severe injuries to the joints...

my sholders dislocate daily all i have to do is rest my arm on a table or shake someones hand and it falls out of its socket. and i can dislocate my thum. i didnt know that autizem and hyper flexible were coneted thanks. dose anyone have any info GAIT iv got it but dont know what it is.

GAIT (I am guessing it is an acronym for something) as Gait in medical terms is usually just the way you walk (Everyone has a Gait, some are normal and some are not).

I have an abnormal gait.

When I walk my left leg rotates in and my swing through isn't normal due to my past foot drop etc. If my legs are sore then my gait is even worse. I used to have a really bad gait with a short step, stiff leg limp.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help but when I looked it up on the net all that come up was GAIT as in the way you walk as well..

You need to ask the doctor who diagnosed/ suggested this to you what it is...

What if a joint is not particularly hypermobile, but is definitely unstable? Does that fall under any of those categories? Because my wrists and knees have a tendency to fall apart. Though my knees are hyperflexible (I can touch my heels to my butt no problem...just not for too long if I'm actually sitting on them...ow). My fingers have been known to come apart too, though not nearly as often.

whhat is the diffrence btween hyperflexible and hyper mobile are they the same thing or diffrent. and is being able to twist ur arm 360degrees a bad thing. iv found out i walk like a penguin.