Fitness and Hypermobility - Part 1

Growing up I always knew my body was a bit different from other kids. Touching my toes was always easy and the other kids would always freak out when I showed them how far I could bend back my thumb. Being hypermobile didn't cause me much trouble until I was older. Mid-teens was when the pain started.This was after I had stopped doing ballet. I didn't realise it at the time but ballet was a good low impact way to help stabilise my joints. This has been my main goal for fitness over the last few years. 

I was diagnosed in my early 20’s with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD). It was really hard at the time to find much information about fitness and HSD. So I tried for a really long time to just be like everyone else and try to get really strong but this just led to more pain. I have found that I can be strong but I have to keep joint stabilisation as my first goal and every other fitness goal goes after. Keeping this in mind has allowed me to reduce my pain and get stronger. It might have taken me longer but it has been worth it. 

HSD isn't just about unstable joints it can also affect fatigue levels and gut issues. Depending on how severe the instability is it can increase chances of injury (1). This is why my main focus when I am exercising is to listen to my body. If something feels like it's too much it's always ok to regress an exercise or stop, even in a group

class (this can feel difficult in front of others but it is worth it). I like to remind myself that it might not just be in the moment that the pain could occur. Often it's later on that the pain or fatigue starts, even the next day, and can last a while. Pushing myself might feel ok in the moment, but if I have to rest for a whole week because I over did it it's actually stopping me from progressing towards my goals. 

For me I have found it best to do a mix of low impact exercises. I still go to the gym, I just lift lighter weights for more reps (I have found this very beneficial for stamina). I still go for long hikes, I just take lots of breaks and make sure I keep hydrated. Most activities are fine for me. I usually just have to modify how I do them. Finding what works best for me could only be done through listening to my body. It can feel overwhelming especially when exercising with others but I have found most people are ok to take it slow when you need. 

My favourite type of exercise is body weight exercise. It lets me listen to my body better. I have been really enjoying indoor bouldering. It is great as there are so many levels. I started off at the beginner level to give my body time to adjust to the style of movement and strength required. I have found the same for group fitness classes. As they are built to cater for a wide variety of skill levels it's easier to adjust the intensity to how I’m feeling. I especially love a full body class. This is great as it doesn’t over work one area leading to pain over the next few days.

Spend some time trying things that you like the look of, remember it is allowed to be a fun activity. If you aren't sure if something will work for you it’s a good idea to talk to a doctor or physiotherapist. 

Exercise that involves flexibility can be good if you have also spent time building up strength. I found that yoga was better when I was doing strength training. I also noticed I was keen to do all the poses that utilised my hypermobility but this would often cause pain and injury later. I encouraged myself to be more active in each pose even if that meant I wouldn’t do the full pose, I tried to emphasise strength over stretch.  

It has taken me a long time but I have found activities that work for me and my body. My biggest take away from the last 10 years of fitness is that it is allowed to be fun! Fitness doesn’t need to feel like a chore. This has been the driving idea behind MoveWell’s classes, fun fitness! Our classes provide a fun space to get your body moving with no pressure to lift massive weights or look a certain way. We want you to feel good in your body! 

For more information on HSD click the link below:

(1) https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/what-is-hsd/