Hypermobility awareness!

For this post, I’ll shorten hypermobility/hypermobile to HM

HM just means that you’re more flexible than “normal,” BUT it can be related to multiple different chronic illnesses/other health conditions, so it’s important to know about!

As a wet noodle myself, I realized that not many people, even fellow HMers, don’t know about HM, or they don’t even know that they are HM. 

HM can be trained or natural. Ballerinas, gymnasts, and even rock climbers are usually all HM, just because of their trained flexibility. It usually isn’t a problem, but if you get joint pain, tell a doctor!

I’m naturally HM, because of my hEDS. Natural HM can show up as sitting in “weird” positions, instability when you walk, doing weird bendy things as a kid, even past the point where babies are usually able to do that stuff, and of course things bending the wrong way. My fingers bend backwards when I push elevator buttons, and my knees sometimes go backwards when I’m standing up. 

How to tell if you’re HM: (not a diagnosis, but a good self-check!)

- can you make your thumb touch the wrist of the same arm? HM. 

- can you put your hand flat on the table, and pull your pinky/little finger back until it’s straight up? HM.

- can you put your hands flat on the floor in front of you without bending your knees? HM.

- standing up, can you hold your right foot and turn your right leg in so that your knee is pointing way over to the left, or maybe even down? HM.

- do your knees/elbows go 10° or more in the wrong direction? HM.

 There’s a better test for this that you can find online. Being HM isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if it comes with joint pain or other symptoms, you could have a HM spectrum disorder, or HSD. Your health is always worth looking into, even if you highly doubt that you have something!

 I recognized symptoms in myself and knew about hEDS WAYYYY before I told my parents or a doctor about it, because I thought that “it’s a SYNDROME, that can’t possibly be me!” I ended up postponing managing my symptoms and getting help for several years.

 If any of this sounds like you or someone you know, and you/they are having issues with it, tell a doctor 💜

 If you have any questions, tag me! I’d love to talk

 Love from a zebra! 🦓