Hypermobility? Flexibility and Lower Back Pain
Thank you for joining us for today’s livestream where we talked about hypermobility. Having good flexibility is a good thing, as it helps your muscles and joints to function correctly. We’re going to be talking about the gymnasts, ballet dancers or acrobats that are likely to have more flexibility than is normal. Strength based activities can be more difficult for this type of person, whereas ones involving flexibility will come easier.
If you do have hypermobile joints, you may find dealing with back pain more difficult. We have ligaments that hold our spine together, and when we have normal levels of flexibility the spine allows normal range of flexibility. For those with hypermobility issues, the joints can fall out of place very easily. There is a spectrum of more flexible than normal to the extremity of where joints can dislocate extremely easily because of lax ligaments. You’re innately more wobbly, so having strength and integrity is important.
An injury is an extra wobbly part that needs support. This type of person will need more strength in their muscles than the average person. Very often, in more flexible people they may pursue these activities like gymnastics or ballet rigorously during childhood and then stop cold turkey at some point. You then lose the strength you’ve built during that time relatively quickly.
