Hypermobility 101
Photo by jana müller on Unsplash
(Snack-sized: 1 to 2 minute read)
(Last updated: January 2026)
What is Hypermobility?
Hypermobility is simply a description for a joint or set of joints that move beyond the typical range. It is not inherently pathological or painful, but can be a symptom of an underlying disorder.
Hypermobility varies in both Severity and Scope.
Severity
(Mild, moderate, or severe)
Mild hypermobility usually goes unnoticed unless you’re going through some orthopedic testing, or measure your range of motion for another reason. It is usually not painful or unstable enough to cause problems.
Moderate to severe hypermobility can lead to pain and reduced function of the affected joints, and therefore tends to warrant further investigation.
Scope
It can exist in a single joint, a pair of joints, or many joints.
Single-joint hypermobilities are very common and can be a normal developmental variant (think a hitchhiker’s thumb) or the result of an injury that healed with more mobility than the joint previously had (think an ACL tear that results in a hypermobile knee).
Generalized Hypermobility
When hypermobility is present in many or most of a person’s joints, it’s called Generalized Hypermobility. When I talk about hypermobility in my chiropractic practice, this is usually what I’m referring to.
Generalized Hypermobility is important to recognize because it can be a symptom of an underlying challenge with connective tissue formation, maintenance, and/or break down. These challenges can be a central piece of a much more complex puzzle.
Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder
When Generalized Hypermobility is present with pain or other symptoms, we call it Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD).
The tricky thing about HSD, is that it rarely stands alone. It tends to be one point in a constellation of health challenges that can range from chronic pain and digestive challenges, to autoimmunity and dysautonomia.
Note
This post is the first part of a series that I’m writing in 2026.
I understand that these questions are usually the first steps down a deep (and sometimes urgent) research rabbit hole. If you want to read more before I’m finished with the series, here are some links to other resources that I’ve found helpful in my own hypermobility research odyssey.
The most reliable website: The EDS Society’s educational resources
My favorite book on complex hypermobility: Disjointed, edited by Diana Jovin
Where to go next:
Want to skip the reading and get straight to the part where you feel better?