Here is the "causes" section from the wiki page Dingo posted. I bolded the one sentence he took out of the context.
Causes
Hypermobility generally results from one or more of the following:
* Misaligned joints
* Abnormally-shaped ends of one or more bones at a joint
* A Type 1 collagen defect (found in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Marfan syndrome) results in weakened ligaments, muscles & tendons. This same defective process also results in weakened bones which may result in osteoporosis and fractures
* Abnormal joint proprioception (an impaired ability to determine where in space parts of the body are, and how stretched a joint is)
A hypermobile hand
The condition tends to run in families, suggesting that there may be a genetic basis for at least some forms of hypermobility. The term double jointed is often used to describe hypermobility, however the name is a misnomer and is not to be taken literally, as an individual with hypermobility in a joint does not actually have two separate joints where others would have just the one.
A hypermobile hand
Some people have hypermobility with no other symptoms or medical conditions. However, people with hypermobility syndrome may experience many difficulties. For example, their joints may be easily injured, be more prone to complete dislocation due to the weakly stabilized joint and they may develop problems from muscle fatigue (as muscles must work harder to compensate for the excessive weakness in the ligaments that support the joints).
Hypermobility may also be symptomatic of a serious medical condition, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, osteogenesis imperfecta, lupus, polio, downs syndrome, morquio syndrome, cleidocranial dysostosis or myotonia congenita.
In addition, hypermobility has been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. During pregnancy certain hormones alter the physiology of ligaments making them able to stretch to accommodate the birthing process. For some women with hypermobility pregnacy related pelvic girdle pain can be debilitating.
Symptoms of hypermobility include a dull but intense pain around the knee and ankle joints and also on the soles of the feet. The condition affecting these parts can be alleviated by using insoles in the footwear which have been specially made for the individual after assessment by an orthopaedic surgeon.
[edit] Hypermobility syndrome
Hypermobility syndrome is generally considered to comprise hypermobility together with other symptoms, such as myalgia and arthralgia. It is relatively common among children and affects more females than males.
A hypermobile hand
The current diagnostic criteria for hypermobility syndrome are the Brighton criteria, which incorporates the Beighton Score[3]. The Beighton Score in an individual with HS usually falls between 4-6 out of 9. A diagnosis of Hypermobility Syndrome is only given when hereditary connective tissue disorders (such as Ehlers-Danlos and Marfan) have been ruled out.
[edit] Causes
Current thinking suggests that there are four factors: These four factors affect different people to varying degrees and each is explained in detail in the following sections.
* The shape of the ends of the bones: Some joints normally have a large range of movement, like the shoulder and hip. Both these joints look like a ball in a socket. If you inherit a shallow rather than a deep socket, you will have a relatively large range of movement, but only at these particular joints. If your hip socket is particularly shallow, then your hip may dislocate easily.
* Weak or stretched ligaments caused by protein or hormone problems: ligaments are made up of several types of protein fibre. These proteins include elastin, which gives elasticity, which may be altered in some people. Also, the female sex hormones alter the collagen proteins. Women are generally more supple just before a period, and even more so in the latter stages of pregnancy, because of the effect of a hormone called relaxin. This hormone allows the pelvis to expand so the head of the baby can pass through. Different races have differences in their joint mobility, which may reflect differences in the structure of the collagen proteins. People from the Indian sub-continent, for example, often have much more supple hands than Europeans.
* The tone of your muscles: The tone (or stiffness) of your muscles is controlled by your nervous system, and influences the range of movement in the joints. Some people use special techniques to change their muscle tone and increase their flexibility. Yoga, for example, can help to relax the muscles and make the joints more supple. Gymnasts and athletes can sometimes acquire hypermobility in at least some of their joints through the exercises they do in training.
* Your sense of joint movement (proprioception): if you find it difficult to detect the exact position of your joints with your eyes closed, then you may develop hypermobile joints because you are likely to over-stretch a joint before you notice you are doing so. [1]
Causes
Hypermobility generally results from one or more of the following:
* Misaligned joints
* Abnormally-shaped ends of one or more bones at a joint
* A Type 1 collagen defect (found in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Marfan syndrome) results in weakened ligaments, muscles & tendons. This same defective process also results in weakened bones which may result in osteoporosis and fractures
* Abnormal joint proprioception (an impaired ability to determine where in space parts of the body are, and how stretched a joint is)
A hypermobile hand
The condition tends to run in families, suggesting that there may be a genetic basis for at least some forms of hypermobility. The term double jointed is often used to describe hypermobility, however the name is a misnomer and is not to be taken literally, as an individual with hypermobility in a joint does not actually have two separate joints where others would have just the one.
A hypermobile hand
Some people have hypermobility with no other symptoms or medical conditions. However, people with hypermobility syndrome may experience many difficulties. For example, their joints may be easily injured, be more prone to complete dislocation due to the weakly stabilized joint and they may develop problems from muscle fatigue (as muscles must work harder to compensate for the excessive weakness in the ligaments that support the joints).
Hypermobility may also be symptomatic of a serious medical condition, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, osteogenesis imperfecta, lupus, polio, downs syndrome, morquio syndrome, cleidocranial dysostosis or myotonia congenita.
In addition, hypermobility has been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. During pregnancy certain hormones alter the physiology of ligaments making them able to stretch to accommodate the birthing process. For some women with hypermobility pregnacy related pelvic girdle pain can be debilitating.
Symptoms of hypermobility include a dull but intense pain around the knee and ankle joints and also on the soles of the feet. The condition affecting these parts can be alleviated by using insoles in the footwear which have been specially made for the individual after assessment by an orthopaedic surgeon.
[edit] Hypermobility syndrome
Hypermobility syndrome is generally considered to comprise hypermobility together with other symptoms, such as myalgia and arthralgia. It is relatively common among children and affects more females than males.
A hypermobile hand
The current diagnostic criteria for hypermobility syndrome are the Brighton criteria, which incorporates the Beighton Score[3]. The Beighton Score in an individual with HS usually falls between 4-6 out of 9. A diagnosis of Hypermobility Syndrome is only given when hereditary connective tissue disorders (such as Ehlers-Danlos and Marfan) have been ruled out.
[edit] Causes
Current thinking suggests that there are four factors: These four factors affect different people to varying degrees and each is explained in detail in the following sections.
* The shape of the ends of the bones: Some joints normally have a large range of movement, like the shoulder and hip. Both these joints look like a ball in a socket. If you inherit a shallow rather than a deep socket, you will have a relatively large range of movement, but only at these particular joints. If your hip socket is particularly shallow, then your hip may dislocate easily.
* Weak or stretched ligaments caused by protein or hormone problems: ligaments are made up of several types of protein fibre. These proteins include elastin, which gives elasticity, which may be altered in some people. Also, the female sex hormones alter the collagen proteins. Women are generally more supple just before a period, and even more so in the latter stages of pregnancy, because of the effect of a hormone called relaxin. This hormone allows the pelvis to expand so the head of the baby can pass through. Different races have differences in their joint mobility, which may reflect differences in the structure of the collagen proteins. People from the Indian sub-continent, for example, often have much more supple hands than Europeans.
* The tone of your muscles: The tone (or stiffness) of your muscles is controlled by your nervous system, and influences the range of movement in the joints. Some people use special techniques to change their muscle tone and increase their flexibility. Yoga, for example, can help to relax the muscles and make the joints more supple. Gymnasts and athletes can sometimes acquire hypermobility in at least some of their joints through the exercises they do in training.
* Your sense of joint movement (proprioception): if you find it difficult to detect the exact position of your joints with your eyes closed, then you may develop hypermobile joints because you are likely to over-stretch a joint before you notice you are doing so. [1]
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