Understanding Hypermobility: A Guide for Athletes & Active Individuals

This blog post was written by Adrienne, our newest physiotherapist at Physical Edge Physiotherapy. With a strong background in working with active individuals and athletes, Adrienne is passionate about helping people understand their bodies — especially conditions like hypermobility, which can affect everything from daily movement to high-level sport performance.

Adrienne also offers private and semi-private Pilates sessions (billable under physiotherapy) which are a great adjunctive therapy for those with hypermobility!

If you’ve ever been called “double-jointed,” or you’re someone who feels extra flexible but also experiences aches, instability, or frequent sprains, this guide will help you understand what hypermobility is, how it’s assessed, and how physiotherapy can support you in staying strong, safe, and confident in your activities.

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What Is Hypermobility? 

Hypermobility means your joints can move further than the typical range of motion — often referred to as being “double-jointed.” It affects about 1 in 10 people, and is more common in women and children.

Some people are naturally flexible with no issues, while others may experience joint instability, aches, or frequent injuries.

Hypermobility Exists on a Spectrum

Everyone sits somewhere between stiffer, less flexible and naturally very flexible

Being flexible can be helpful — especially for dancers, gymnasts, and acrobatic athletes — but it can also increase the risk of:

• Sprains

• Dislocations

• Subluxations (partial dislocations)

• Overuse injuries

How Is Hypermobility Assessed?

Healthcare professionals often use the Beighton scale to measure hypermobility.

This test looks at how far certain joints move — including the hands, elbows, knees, and spine.

• A score of 5 out of 9 or higher after puberty usually indicates hypermobility.

• The test should be completed by a trained healthcare practitioner.

  

A trained physiotherapist may also perform extra tests to assess joint stability, strength, and control.

How Hypermobility Affects Sport

Flexibility can be an advantage in some sports — but may pose challenges in others.

Examples:

• A dancer may find splits and backbends easier, however will have less stability with landing and shock-absorption

• A hockey or field athlete may find rotating to receive a pass easier, however they may struggle with ankle stability during sharp turns or quick pivots.

How hypermobility affects you depends on your strength, technique, and the demands of your sport.

How a Physiotherapist Can Help Athletes With Hypermobility

1. Comprehensive Assessment

Your physiotherapist will ask about:

• Past injuries (sprains, dislocations, overuse injuries)

• Current symptoms (pain, instability, clicking, fatigue)

• Sport-specific issues (landing, sprinting, turning, lifting, etc.)

• Training load and competition schedule

• Recovery patterns

• Your goals — performance, confidence, return to sport, or prevention

This helps guide a personalized treatment plan.

2. Joint-Specific Examination

A physio will assess:

• Active and passive movement – quality and quantity of movement

• Muscle strength and endurance

• Balance and proprioception

• Ligament support and joint stability

• Control at end-range — where hypermobile joints are most vulnerable

3. Sport-Specific Movement Analysis

Because every sport is different, your physio may observe:

• Running gait and stride control

• Jumping and landing mechanics

• Change-of-direction technique

• Throwing, kicking, lifting, or rotation

How joints behave under speed, fatigue, or load

What Physiotherapy Treatment Includes

Strength Training for Stability

Strengthening supports your joints where ligaments may be looser. A physio will design exercises that:

• Build muscle support around key joints

• Improve control at end-range

• Match your sport (e.g., jumping for basketball, rotational control for golf)

• Prevent fatigue-related instability

Examples:

• Hip and ankle stability for field athletes

• Shoulder and scapular strengthening for swimmers or pitchers

• Controlled knee and core work for dancers and gymnasts

Movement Re-Training

Athletes with hypermobility often move quickly through ranges without control. To improve your performance and safety, a physio may help you retrain:

• Landing techniques

• Cutting and pivoting mechanics

• Core bracing during power movements

• Body awareness and joint alignment

• Slowing down and stabilizing end-range positions

Warm-Up & Accessory Programming

A physiotherapist can develop a warm-up that prepares your joints and prevents injury. This may include:

• Muscle activation

• Dynamic, controlled movements

• Sport-specific sequences

• End-range stability drills

• Proprioception and balance exercises

Hypermobile athletes often benefit more from stability-based activation than from long static stretching.

Education & Load Management

To empowers you to stay strong, safe, and confident, our physio can help you understand:

• How to avoid overloading your joints

• How to pace training workload

• How to recognize early signs of strain

• When to modify training or technique

• How to maintain strength during competition seasons

Summary: You Can Be Strong, Stable, and Flexible!

Hypermobility is common — and with the right support, you can thrive in your sport.

By working with a physiotherapist, you can:

• Improve joint stability

• Reduce pain and injury risk

• Control your flexibility

• Build confidence in your movement

• Enhance performance

With the right training, your flexibility becomes a strength, not a limitation.

If you suspect you may be hypermobile or you’ve been dealing with frequent sprains, instability, or persistent aches, we’re here to support you.

Click below to book an appointment or give us a call at 905-844-8425! We’d love to help you move with strength and confidence.

Book Now!