If you consider yourself a flexible person, there is probability that you’re also hypermobile. I am not a medical professional, so by no means am I attempting to suggest that I know your own personal condition, nor am I diagnosing anyone with anything here. Rather, I am shining some light on a condition that is vastly overlooked in the medical realm and often coincides with a connective tissue disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
If you suspect you’re hypermobile, there is a test you can do yourself called the Beighton Score. Here is some information about it from ehlers-danlos.com.
“The Beighton Scoring System measures joint hypermobility on a 9-point scale. The joints assessed are:
- Knuckle of both little/fifth/pinky fingers
- Base of both thumbs
- Elbows
- Knees
- Spine
“Where applicable, range of movement is measured using a goniometer, an instrument that measures the joint angle.
“A positive Beighton score is any score greater than or equal to 5/9 points in adults, 6/9 points in children (before puberty), and 4/9 points in adults over age 50.
“The movements that make up the Beighton score are:
“A. 5th FINGER/’PINKIES’
“Test both sides: Rest palm of the hand and forearm a flat surface with palm side down and fingers out straight. Can the fifth finger be bent/lifted upwards at the knuckle to go back beyond 90 degrees? If yes, add one point for each hand.
“B. THUMBS
“Test both sides: With the arm out straight, the palm facing down, and the wrist then fully bent downward, can the thumb be pushed back to touch the forearm? If yes, add one point for each thumb.
“C. ELBOWS
“Test both sides: With arms outstretched and palms facing upwards, does the elbow extend (bend too far) upwards more than an extra 10 degrees beyond a normal outstretched position? If yes, add one point for each side.
“D. KNEES
“Test both sides: While standing, with knees locked (bent backwards as far as possible), does the lower part of either leg extend more than 10 degrees forward? If yes, add one point for each side.
“E. SPINE
“Can you bend forward and place the palms of your hands flat on the floor in front of your feet without bending your knees? If yes, add one point,” the web page explains.
If any of the criteria is confusing, be sure to check out the website, linked above, which includes visuals of each of these tests to aid in determining if you’re hypermobile.
Photo by jana müller on Unsplash
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