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Double-jointed? It’s not just a fun party trick.
Uber-flexible joints could be a sign of a rare genetic condition that makes you more susceptible to respiratory illnesses and also complicates recovery, experts warn.
The good news: There’s an easy test you can do at home to gauge your risk.
Around 20% of people are hypermobile, meaning their joints can move beyond the typical range of motion. For most, it’s harmless — but for some, it could be a sign of a serious condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Celebrities like actress Jameela Jamil and singer-songwriter Sia are among those affected by the condition, which impacts about one in every 5,000 people worldwide, according to the US National Library of Medicine.
EDS is caused by genetic mutations that weaken connective tissues throughout the body. This includes those that support the lungs and airways, making them more prone to damage, rupture and even collapse over time.
The disorder can also cause structural changes in the chest wall, limiting lung expansion and impairing respiratory function. Additionally, people with EDS may experience muscle weakness, including in the muscles that control inhaling and exhaling.
As a result, patients with EDS often report respiratory issues, including shortness of breath, difficulty with deep inhalation, sleep apnea, coughing, wheezing that mimics asthma, and even chest pain that worsens with breathing in.
Breathing pattern disorders are also common. For example, people with EDS may unconsciously adopt a “bracing” pattern, where they hold their inhaled breath for too long, Jeannie Di Bon, a UK-based hypermobility and EDS specialist, told Newsweek.
“It’s a subconscious way of trying to be stable, because we lack stability,” said Di Bon, who has EDS herself.
However, she cautioned that this altered breathing pattern can create a “breeding ground” for infections, as it leaves the lower parts of the lungs inactive.
This lack of lung movement, Di Bon explained, makes EDS patients more vulnerable to complications from respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 and pneumonia.
To make matters worse, Taylor Goldberg, a hypermobility coach, told Newsweek that many EDS patients have a more difficult time bouncing back.
“While we need more formal research, clinical experience suggests that people with EDS might have a harder time with respiratory illnesses compared to the general population,” she said.
Are your joints hypermobile?
EDS is an umbrella term for 13 inherited connective tissue disorders. While each type has its own specific characteristics, certain features, like joint hypermobility, are seen across all forms, according to The Ehlers-Danlos Society, a research and advocacy organization.
One way doctors assess joint flexibility is through the Beighton Score, which, alongside other symptoms and a family history, can help indicate EDS.
The test assigns one point per side for five maneuvers: bending the pinkie back 90°, touching the thumb backwards to the forearm, hyper-extending elbows or knees beyond 10°, and bending forward placing palms flat on the floor with straight knees.
A score of more than five out of nine for adults, or six out of nine for children, suggests hypermobility. While this score alone doesn’t confirm EDS, it may signal that it’s worth discussing with your doctor.
English (US)