The Fitness Pilates Blog

Hypermobility and Fitness Pilates

Morning everyone.

It’s Sunday already, and this week I’ve been asked about hypermobility. I’ve written about this subject previously, but I thought it was time for an update……so here we go!

Firstly, I hope your September classes have started well and are feeling busy and buzzing.

If things have got off to a slightly slower start, please don’t worry. It can take people a little time to settle back into their routines once the children return to school. If you teach an older clientele, many may also be taking their holidays now that the schools have gone back.

September can therefore feel a little up and down, but keep going. Stay visible, continue promoting and marketing your classes, and focus on delivering a wonderful experience for everyone who attends.

I’m so excited because this weekend is the Fitness Pilates Summit—and it’s the biggest Summit we’ve hosted to date. The main event is completely sold out, but we still have a few places available on our Pre-Convention Day.

If you would like to join me here at the studio for HOT Fitness Pilates or Fitness Pilates Reformer, I’ll link all the details below.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined me yesterday for the Reformer Masterclass. It was fantastic to teach you, and I have lots more Reformer classes and workshops coming over the next few weeks.

Now, let’s take a closer look at hypermobility: what it is, who may experience it and, most importantly, what it means when someone with hypermobility attends your Fitness Pilates class.

Hypermobility and Fitness Pilates

What is hypermobility?

Joint hypermobility means one or more joints move beyond the range normally expected. People may describe themselves as:

Very flexible or “double-jointed”
Able to bend their elbows or knees backwards
Able to place their hands flat on the floor easily
Having unusually mobile shoulders, hips, fingers or ankles

Hypermobility itself is not necessarily a problem. Many people are hypermobile without experiencing pain or instability.

It becomes more significant when the increased movement is accompanied by symptoms such as:

Joint or muscle pain
Repeated strains and sprains
Joint instability, subluxations or dislocations
Poor balance or coordination
Fatigue
Reduced awareness of joint position
Muscles that feel persistently tight
Dizziness or faintness when standing
Digestive, skin or other connective-tissue symptoms

Symptomatic hypermobility may be diagnosed as hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD). Some people have a connective-tissue condition such as hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS)

Who can have it?

Hypermobility can occur in:

Children and teenagers
Dancers, gymnasts and people attracted to flexibility-based activities
People whose natural joint structure allows greater movement
People with a family history of hypermobility
People with HSD or a connective-tissue condition
People who are hypermobile in only one or two joints

Joint range can change with age, injury, hormones, pregnancy, menopause and activity levels. Someone may therefore have a history of hypermobility even if they are less flexible now.

What does it mean in a Fitness Pilates class?

The goal is not to make a hypermobile participant more flexible. The priorities are:

Joint control
Muscular strength and endurance
Proprioception and body awareness
Stability through a comfortable mid-range
Gradual, appropriate loading

Fitness Pilates can be extremely useful because controlled strengthening may help muscles support less-stable joints. Exercise should be adapted to the individual’s abilities and symptoms, beginning with manageable resistance and progressing gradually. The Ehlers-Danlos Society recommends movement-control and stabilising exercises, generally beginning with low joint loads. The NHS also advises maintaining activity because complete inactivity can worsen symptoms.

Coaching principles

Work in the participant’s controlled range

A hypermobile participant may be able to move much further than they can safely control. Coach them to stop before the joint’s end range.

Useful cues include:

“Soften your elbows and knees.”
“Work within your strongest range.”
“Do not push to your maximum.”
“Keep muscular tension around the joint.”
“Move slowly and control both directions.”
“Choose stability rather than depth.”
“Finish the movement before the joint locks.”

Avoid repeatedly praising extreme flexibility, as this can encourage the participant to demonstrate their maximum range.

Slow the movements down

Use:

Slow, deliberate repetitions
Isometric holds
Smaller ranges
Supported positions
Shorter levers initially
Light-to-moderate resistance
Fewer repetitions when the participant fatigues

Fatigue matters because joint control may deteriorate before the participant appears cardiovascularly tired.

Watch for joint locking

Common examples include:

Knees pushed backwards during standing
Elbows locked in four-point kneeling or planks
Shoulders hanging into the joint
Excessive spinal extension
Hips pushed to their extreme range

Exercises to avoid or significantly modify

There is no single prohibited list for everyone with hypermobility. However, the following are generally unsuitable when they encourage uncontrolled or excessive joint movement:

Deep stretches taken to maximum range
Long passive stretch holds in already-mobile joints
Ballistic stretching
Forcing splits, deep backbends or extreme spinal rotation
Locking the knees during standing work
Locking the elbows in planks or four-point kneeling
Hanging through the shoulders
Heavy loading before adequate stability has been developed
Loaded movement at the extreme end of a joint’s range
Long-lever exercises that cause shaking, pain or loss of alignment
Repeated movements that provoke instability or joint slipping

Overstretching beyond a normal range may increase instability, especially when the surrounding muscles cannot control the joint. Gentle, targeted stretching may still be appropriate when a muscle is genuinely tight, but it should not push a hypermobile joint further into its excessive range. The Ehlers-Danlos Society provides further guidance on this distinction.