Karmuka Yoga · Online Yoga Therapy Classes
Hypermobility and yoga: a reflection on flexibility, joint stability and conscious practice. Explore this approach through Karmuka Yoga’s online yoga therapy classes and individual online consultations .
Hypermobility, hyperextension, hyperflexibility: words we often hear together, although they describe different things. Hypermobility means that a joint moves beyond its usual range. Hyperextension describes extension beyond the normal range of a joint, while hyperflexibility is a broader description of exceptional flexibility.
Joint hypermobility can involve laxity in the connective tissues that support the joints.
There is a recognised association between anxiety and generalised joint hypermobility. Research has also explored connections with depression, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Some people with symptomatic hypermobility also experience autonomic difficulties, including low blood pressure or POTS.
Hypermobility, Connective Tissue and Inflammation
The relationship between joint support and injury is an important place to begin.
When the connective tissues around a joint provide less support, the joint may be more vulnerable to strain or injury. Injury can trigger inflammation and pain. This is why developing muscular support and awareness around the joints matters so much in our practice.
Some people with symptomatic hypermobility also experience difficulties regulating circulation. Low blood pressure can cause dizziness, blurred vision and tiredness. POTS can involve blood pooling and a marked increase in heart rate when standing, even without a drop in blood pressure. These experiences can affect how someone tolerates exercise and changes of position.
Flexibility and Joint Stability in Yoga Asana
Things can become more complicated for my fellow “flexies,” because we are often drawn to activities where we can enjoy and show off our agility. Without adequate joint stability, however, those Hanumanasana splits performed without engaging the muscles of the feet and legs can increase the possibility of strain and injury.
Some people think those of us who are super flexible have it easy on the yoga mat. WRONG.
Those of us who are naturally flexible, and teachers guiding naturally flexible students, must pay even closer attention to the connections between the hands and spine, and the alignment between the feet and pelvis . Engaging these connections, beginning in the karmendriyas, or organs of action, of the hands and feet helps us develop active muscular support around the bones and joints.
A lack of awareness of these fundamental connections and active engagement can increase the likelihood of moving beyond a joint’s supported range. Without this attention, a practice intended to support our wellbeing can become a repeated source of strain and discomfort.
A Guided and Conscious Yoga Practice
So, if you are a naturally flexible human being, take care with your practice. Work with a teacher who understands hypermobility and can help you develop the muscular support around your bones and joints.
Progress gradually, paying attention to stability, breath and how your body responds. Backbends, inversions and changes of position should be adapted to your experience and symptoms, particularly if you become dizzy or lightheaded.
Sources
- Arthralgias, fatigue, paresthesias and visceral pain: Can joint hypermobility solve the puzzle? A case report (2016)
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Immunologic contrasts and connective tissue comparisons (2021)
- Is pain the only symptom in patients with benign joint hypermobility syndrome? (2015)
- Psychopathological manifestations of joint hypermobility and joint hypermobility syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type: The link between connective tissue and psychological distress revised (2015)
- The Ehlers-Danlos Society: Physical Therapy
- The Ehlers-Danlos Society: Dysautonomia
Online Yoga Therapy Classes and Individual Consultations
Would you like to explore Karmuka Yoga’s approach? Develop your understanding of posture, joint stability and body awareness through guided online practice. Share your goals and experience so we can help you choose an appropriate starting point.