According to the National Institutes of Health, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of disorders affecting the body’s connective tissues that support the skin, bones, muscles, and other tissues. These conditions can cause joint hypermobility, or an unusually larger range of motion. This has also been described as having “loose joints.” Children with these conditions often have joint laxity (increased flexibility) and muscle weakness. These “lax” joints can be unstable and more prone to dislocation and chronic pain. Additionally, joint sprains, imbalance, back pain, and neck pain is common in individuals with these conditions.
How can physical therapy help?
Our physical therapists will perform a comprehensive examination in order to assess just how much joint laxity or muscle weakness is present. We can also determine how any of these joint issues may be contributing to pain or other problems. A customized treatment program to address your specific limitations will be developed. This is likely to include 1. Muscle Strengthening exercises to add stability to your joints; 2. Balance and Proprioceptive training to improve your overall balance and coordination; 3. Bracing and Taping to support hypermobile joints until you’re able to strengthening them sufficiently; and 4. Manual Therapy to address pain created by abnormal joint functioning.