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Clinical Features of Hypermobility: Locomotor System and Extra-articular

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Hypermobility of Joints

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Abstract

The majority of persons with lax ligaments and loose joints suffer no articular problems. For example, rheumatic complaints were no more prevalent amongst a group of 31 healthy hypermobile blood donors (average age 28 years) than in age- and sex-matched controls (Jessee et al. 1980). For most hypermobile subjects it is a positive attribute which enables enhanced participation in a wide variety of physical activities (see Chap. 9). However, not all are so fortunate, and some experience locomotor and other problems as a direct result of their laxity. When symptoms result, the term hypermobility syndrome (HMS) is applied (Kirk et al. 1967). It must be emphasised that this designation is non-specific and in this context it does not denote any precise disease entity. Within an unselected group of 100 HMS patients, Finsterbush and Pogrund (1980) delineated three patterns of musculoskeletal complaint: (1) mild complaints of long duration, (2) acute episodes at various sites and (3) a combination of these.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MRC Research Unit for Inherited Skeletal Disorders, Medical School and Groot Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, South Africa

    Peter Beighton MD, PhD, FRCP, DCH (Professor of Human Genetics and Director)

  2. Rheumatology Unit, Division of Medicine, United Medical and Dental Schools, Guy’s Hospital, SE1 9RT, London, UK

    Rodney Grahame MD, FRCP, FACP (Consultant Rheumatologist)

  3. Royal Bath Hospital, University of Leeds, and Clinical Pharmacology Unit (Rheumatism Research), HG1 2PS, Harrogate, UK

    Howard Bird MD, MRCP (Senior Lecturer and Consultant Rheumatologist)

Authors
  1. Peter Beighton MD, PhD, FRCP, DCH
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  2. Rodney Grahame MD, FRCP, FACP
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  3. Howard Bird MD, MRCP
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rheumatology Unit, Division of Medicine, United Medical and Dental Schools, Guy’s Hospital, SE1 9RT, London, UK

    Rodney Grahame MD, FRCP, FACP (Consultant Rheumatologist) (Consultant Rheumatologist)

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© 1989 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Beighton, P., Grahame, R., Bird, H. (1989). Clinical Features of Hypermobility: Locomotor System and Extra-articular. In: Grahame, R. (eds) Hypermobility of Joints. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3900-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3900-3_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-3902-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-3900-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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