There’s a chance your quirky party trick might actually be something serious. If you can flex your body in extreme ways without any pain it could be a tell-tale sign of a health condition.
Having bendy joints, known as hypermobility, is quite common in the UK with estimates by TopDoctors suggesting as many as one in five individuals could be affected. The condition is usually more prevalent among younger people and women.
NHS doctor Ahmed (@dra_says) has highlighted the importance of recognising these signs and seeking medical advice if able to perform specific movements easily, which may appear painful to others. In a TikTok video, Dr Ahmed outlines simple at-home tests involving hands, arms, and legs to determine hypermobility.
“Are you extremely flexible? Have hypermobile joints? It could be Ehlers Danlos syndrome,” he says in his post. Dr Ahmed, who practices in the UK, encouraged those performing the tests to examine both sides for certain actions, reports the Mirror.
He said: “If you score more than four [points], that means you’re hypermobile and [should] go and see your doctor.”
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is recognised primarily by joint hypermobility. Still, it can also present with symptoms such as unusually stretchy skin or a tendency to bruise easily, according to the NHS.
EDS might only have a mild effect on some, leading some to remain unaware they even have the condition for much of their lives. It can significantly impair others and sometimes prove life-threatening.
If you’re experiencing joint issues, your GP might refer you to a rheumatologist to see if you have EDS. A genetics specialist will review your medical and family history, evaluate your symptoms, and may conduct a blood test to confirm the diagnosis.
EDS is hereditary, so it can be passed from parent to child. The Ehlers-Danlos Society clarifies that inheriting “just one copy of a genetic variant” is enough for the condition to be passed on.
Its website states: “If a person has a condition with a dominant inheritance pattern, each of their children will have a 50% chance of inheriting the condition. A recessive inheritance pattern means that a person must inherit two copies of the genetic variant (one from each parent) in order to have the condition.”
For further support, the Ehlers-Danlos Support UK website provides resources about diagnosis and managing life with EDS. It also discusses the other potential health issues related to the condition.