Have you been called double jointed?
In fact it's impossible to be double jointed, but you can certainly have joints that permit far too much movement. The most accurate term for the condition is; joint hypermobility. If you have the ability to move your joints in ways that you know most other people can't, you may want to hold off on being the contortionist; and learn a bit more about the condition.
Just as areas of your body that don't move enough can cause pain or predispose you to injury; so can areas that move too much. What is actually happening is the connective tissue, know as the ligaments, are not as tight as they should be. They essentially don't hold the joint firmly, and fail to keep the joint in movement patterns that are less damaging.
In fact it's impossible to be double jointed, but you can certainly have joints that permit far too much movement. The most accurate term for the condition is; joint hypermobility. If you have the ability to move your joints in ways that you know most other people can't, you may want to hold off on being the contortionist; and learn a bit more about the condition.
Just as areas of your body that don't move enough can cause pain or predispose you to injury; so can areas that move too much. What is actually happening is the connective tissue, know as the ligaments, are not as tight as they should be. They essentially don't hold the joint firmly, and fail to keep the joint in movement patterns that are less damaging.
There are a number of complaints that can arise out of this condition, some of which are; muscle soreness (not related to a known injury), pain in various joints, and higher susceptibility to dislocations.
The areas of most concern are: shoulders, lower back, knees, and ankles. They are the regions of the body that seem to suffer the most from hypermobility.
I have 3 suggestions to address this condition, to be certain that it doesn't give you too many problems.
My first suggestion it to lay off of stretching and start focusing on strengthening exercises. People with lots of flexibility are often attracted to exercises that further promote flexibility, for the simple reason that they're good at it. An example of this would be yoga. Individuals with hypermobility issues are great at yoga! I wouldn't recommend that you quit your favourite class, but you will certainly want to back off of those movements that take your body too far to extremes.
You will want to spend more time using weights to improve your muscle mass. More muscle will help to protect your joints.
My second suggestion is to stop doing all those crazy party tricks with your body. Just because you can do extreme flexibility feats; doesn't mean you should.
Finally, I recommend the following exercises to promote better stability in the most problematic areas:
For shoulder stability
External rotations (dumbbell)
Bent over dumbbell row
External rotations (cable, or elastics)
For knee and ankle stability
Single leg hip lifts
Single leg bent leg deadlifts
Bent knee calf raises
Toe presses
For lower back stability
Back and shoulder extensions
Always consult your health care provider before starting an exercise program.
The areas of most concern are: shoulders, lower back, knees, and ankles. They are the regions of the body that seem to suffer the most from hypermobility.
I have 3 suggestions to address this condition, to be certain that it doesn't give you too many problems.
My first suggestion it to lay off of stretching and start focusing on strengthening exercises. People with lots of flexibility are often attracted to exercises that further promote flexibility, for the simple reason that they're good at it. An example of this would be yoga. Individuals with hypermobility issues are great at yoga! I wouldn't recommend that you quit your favourite class, but you will certainly want to back off of those movements that take your body too far to extremes.
You will want to spend more time using weights to improve your muscle mass. More muscle will help to protect your joints.
My second suggestion is to stop doing all those crazy party tricks with your body. Just because you can do extreme flexibility feats; doesn't mean you should.
Finally, I recommend the following exercises to promote better stability in the most problematic areas:
For shoulder stability
External rotations (dumbbell)
Bent over dumbbell row
External rotations (cable, or elastics)
For knee and ankle stability
Single leg hip lifts
Single leg bent leg deadlifts
Bent knee calf raises
Toe presses
For lower back stability
Back and shoulder extensions
Always consult your health care provider before starting an exercise program.
