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How Can Identifying Your Patient's Innate Mobility Change Their Outcomes?

jenna gourlay podcast rehab & performance lab

Are the hidden types of hypermobility impacting your patient outcomes?

Discover the Hidden Types of Hypermobility and How to Identify Them

Hypermobility is more than just a high Beighton score. In this episode with Dr. Jenna Gourlay, we discuss the often-overlooked types of hypermobility and how they can significantly impact patient outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

• Beyond Beighton:  Learn about the various types of hypermobility, including generalized, peripheral, localized, and historical.

• Age-Specific Criteria: Understand how the Beighton Index changes with age.

• Missed Diagnoses: Discover how a low Beighton score doesn't always rule out hypermobility.

• Strategies for Identification: Gain practical insights on identifying hypermobility in your patients.

Hypermobility syndrome does not necessarily mean the person has to have a high biting score or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). If we don’t identify all the types of hypermobility, it can really affect our patient outcomes. Here are the types: (make a bulleted list)

− Generalized HSD (G-HSD): joint hypermobility that occurs throughout multiple areas of the body − Peripheral HSD (P-HSD): joint hypermobility in the hands and feet − Localized HSD (L-HSD): joint hypermobility at a single joint or a few joints in the same area − Historical HSD (H-HSD): a history of joint hypermobility that is not seen on exam; may be due to surgery, aging, or other conditions

What are the criteria for the Beighton Index?

  1. Can the fifth MCP joint extend beyond 90°? (1 point for each side)
  2. Can the thumb touch the inside of the forearm? (1 point for each side)
  3. Can the elbow extend beyond 10°? (1 point for each side)
  4. Can the knee extend beyond 10°? (1 point for each side)
  5. Can the person palm the floor while keeping the knees straight? (1 point)

It is key to remember that someone could have a low Beighton score and still have hypermobility.

Did you know that the Beighton Index that indicates generalized hypermobility is different based on age? − 5/9 in adults − 4/9 in adults over 50 − 6/9 in children (before puberty)

Can unexplained bruising be related to hypermobility?  Frequently patients with hypermobility have impaired proprioception or lack of body awareness which can cause them to bump into things more often and many times not even realize it. Bruising can also be related to the underlying connective tissue dysfunction

Are your manual therapy treatments not sticking? Have you ruled out hypermobility spectrum disorder? It can range from local to general hypermobility. People with hypermobility often demonstrate hypertonicity that may be mistaken for tightness.

Listen for free on YouTube, Spotify or Apple podcasts. For CEUs and bonus takeaway handouts, log in to MedBridge to complete the post-course quiz and survey.

  

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