24/10/2024
Is your little one reporting aching legs, feeling tired and you cannot work out why?
Hypermobility, also known as being "double-jointed", is where a child's joints are more flexible than normal for their age. It's a normal variation and not a disease or illness.
Hypermobility can affect a range of children, from those who have no symptoms to those who experience pain and dislocation. Some signs of hypermobility in children include:
- Appearing weak or floppy
- Learning to sit late
- Sitting with a rounded back or "W" sit
- Bottom shuffling and never crawling
- Starting walking a few months later than usual
- Recurrent pain in the knees, feet, and/or ankles
- Pain in the fingers and hands
-- Mild joint swelling
Hypermobility often improves with age. Children with hypermobility can benefit from their flexible joints in areas such as gymnastics, dance, swimming, and athletics.
Asessment from a qualified paediatric physiotherapist can help to identify any musculoskeletal concerns assosicated with increased flexibility and discuss how to manage this.
