Hypermobility Program

Movement Preparation for Hypermobile Individuals

A specialized fitness and education program for those with hypermobility or joint hypermobility syndrome to improve function and reduce risk of joint pain

What is hypermobility?

Have you ever considered yourself “double-jointed” or hyperflexible? Are you easily able to palm the floor with straight knees, or bend your thumb back to touch your wrist? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you might be hypermobile. Joint hypermobility syndrome is something you’re born with, and it is characterized by unusually high levels of joint mobility, flexibility and ligament looseness. Approximately 3% of the general population falls into this category.

Is hypermobility a bad thing?

First and foremost, no! Hypermobility can be useful, and many gymnasts, dancers, and other athletes such as Michael Phelps and Simone Biles use it to great advantage. While it can be asymptomatic, hypermobility is unfortunately associated with an increased risk of joint pain. Joint looseness can lead to poor joint stability, and cause long-term overload on ligaments, joints, and other connective tissue, causing pain. Hypermobile individuals also tend to have reduced strength, function, muscular endurance, and balance.

What can I do about it?

The good news is that hypermobile individuals have just as much capacity to improve fitness metrics as anyone else! However, new research is revealing that a one-size-fits-all exercise program may not be the best solution. Training can and should be tailored to hypermobile individuals to maximize improvements in strength, endurance, function, balance and pain. This population will benefit from a program that strengthens and stabilizes the hypermobile ranges, emphasizes balance and joint position awareness, and features more hands-on and verbal cueing than generic workout programs provide. That’s where we come in!

What is the program schedule?

Movement Preparation for Hypermobile Individuals is an 8-week workout program that will take place partially in a group clinic setting, and partially at home. Week 1 will be an introduction to the program, an education session, and will feature an initial movement screen for each client. Following this, clients will come in to the clinic once every 2 weeks to learn and execute a new workout block, which they will perform 3 times per week for 2 weeks before progressing to the next level. Training will be 6 weeks long in total and consist of 3 progressive workout blocks. Finally, week 8 will bring everyone back into the clinic for a debrief, a movement re-assessment to measure progress, and to discuss next steps moving forward.

What should I expect?

• Led by Russell Wolfe, a physiotherapist with Gymnastics Canada, as well as other rehabilitation and strength and conditioning specialists.
• Functional Movement Screen (FMS) as an outcome measure.
• Mix of group and individual workout classes.
• Combination of bodyweight training and weightlifting.
• Direct access and collaboration with rehab professionals and performance coaches.

What are the goals of the program?

The program aims are:

1. To improve movement and fitness metrics (strength, endurance, balance, joint-position sense) in order to reduce risk of pain and improve function.
2. To educate clients about hypermobility and leave them with tangible ways to optimize fitness outcomes.
3. To foster a small community of individuals on similar fitness journeys.
4. To improve the client’s autonomy with regards to exercise.

Requirements to join:

1. Participants must meet the joint hypermobility Beighton criteria as identified by a health care professional.
2. Participants must not have a current acute injury, or chronic rheumatological, neurological or connective tissue disorder.

What is the cost?

The program consists of 5 in-person sessions, billed at $75 each. It is covered under physiotherapy extended health insurance benefits.

The Beighton Score | Generalized Joint Hypermobility (Laxity)