Plenty of children can bend their fingers back or do party-trick stretches — being “double-jointed,” or hypermobile, is common and often causes no problems at all. But for some kids, loose joints come with hidden costs worth understanding.
What is joint hypermobility?
Hypermobility means joints that move beyond the usual range. It's common in childhood because young connective tissue is naturally more flexible, and many children simply have bendy joints with no issues. For a subset, though, the extra looseness means muscles have to work harder to stabilize the body.
Signs that hypermobility may need support
- Tires quickly or has poor endurance during activity.
- Clumsiness, frequent falls, or awkward movement.
- Joint or muscle aches, especially after activity or at night.
- Avoids physical activity, or sits in unusual positions (like W-sitting) for stability.
- Delayed motor skills or difficulty with handwriting from weak hand stability.
Most hypermobility is harmless. When it comes with pain, fatigue, or motor difficulty — or there's a family history of connective-tissue conditions — it's worth a conversation with your pediatrician, who can refer to therapy.
Bendy joints plus fatigue or clumsiness? An evaluation can help.
How therapy helps
Physical and occupational therapy help hypermobile children build the strength, stability, and endurance that take the load off loose joints — improving coordination, reducing aches, and making activity more comfortable. Both teams are accepting new families at MTG; a referral from your child's primary care provider is required (faxed to 901-589-9001).