What every parent of a hypermobile child needs to know
Have you noticed that your child is particularly flexible? Maybe you have probably heard it said as a compliment. “Oh, she is so flexible, how does she sit like that? Or maybe your paediatrician has noted that your child is hypermobile or has low muscle tone? If you are wondering if your child’s hyper-flexibility is impacting their development or their movements, this blog was written for you!
What is hypermobility?
Hypermobility means that a child’s joints move beyond the range that is typical for their age. It is not just about being able to do the splits. It is about connective tissue (the stuff that holds joints, muscles, organs, and nerves together) that is more elastic than usual. Because connective tissue is everywhere in the body, hypermobility can affect a lot more than just the joints.
There is a spectrum. Some children have hypermobile joints with no symptoms at all, while others have hypermobility that significantly affects their daily life - their pain levels, their energy, their coordination, their ability to sit through a school day. Most children sit somewhere in between, and many have never had it identified.
Does this sound like your child?
Hypermobility does not always look like what you expect, it can look like:
Challenges in their body and movement:
Tires quickly during sport or physical play
Trips or falls over more than other kids their age
Reduced body or spatial awareness (Do they stub their toe or bump into things all the time?)
Flat feet, or walks with feet turned in or out
Gross motor delays
Avoids physical activity or seems to crash after a busy day
Fine motor skills:
Handwriting is effortful, messy, or tiring
Children might write with a lot of force and push really hard with their pencil
Difficulty using cutlery or getting dressed (shoelaces, buttons, zippers)
Posture when sitting:
Cannot sit still - constantly wriggling, changing position, or sliding off the chair
Complains of back or neck pain after sitting
Struggles to sit cross-legged on the floor
Pain that does not quite add up:
Complains of leg pain, growing pains, or sore joints, especially in the evenings or after activity
Joint pain that comes and goes without a clear cause
Pain that seems bigger than what happened
Regularly sore ankles, knees, hips, or back
Tummy and toileting:
Constipation or irregular bowel habits
Bladder urgency or accidents
Tummy aches without an obvious explanation
Energy and sleepL
Fatigues much faster than peers
Wakes at night or has difficulty getting comfortable
Big crashes after active or busy days
If a few of these sound familiar, hypermobility may be part of the picture.
Why does flexibility cause all of this?
Here is the part that surprises most parents.
When joints are hypermobile, the muscles have to work overtime to provide the stability that the ligaments cannot. That is exhausting. It also means the body is not getting accurate feedback about where it is in space (a sense called proprioception) which is why hypermobile children can seem clumsy, struggle to sit still, or find it hard to control their movements.
The same connective tissue that affects the joints also lines the gut and bladder, which explains the tummy and toileting symptoms. It affects blood vessels, which is why some children feel dizzy when they stand up quickly or struggle to regulate their energy. And it affects how the nervous system processes sensation, which is why hypermobility can amplify challenges with focus, regulation, and fatigue.
None of this is your child being difficult. Their body is simply working harder than it looks.
What can physiotherapy do?
At Jacaranda Kids Physio, our approach to hypermobility is built around what we call movement with purpose. Many hypermobile children struggle to control their body movements, not because they are not trying, but because their joints are not giving them the feedback they need. Physiotherapy builds the strength, body awareness, and movement skills that fill that gap.
Treatment is always tailored to your child specifically and may include:
Strengthening exercises that support the joints from the outside in
Proprioception and balance training to improve coordination and body awareness
Gait and movement retraining
Seating and positioning advice for school and home
Pacing strategies to manage energy and avoid boom-bust cycles
Referral to other specialists where needed
The research is clear that children with hypermobility respond really well to physiotherapy when it is the right programme for them. Most families see meaningful improvements in pain, coordination, energy, and confidence.
When should I book?
If several things on this list resonated with you, or you just want to know if your child actually is hypermobile… let’s get you in for an assessment so we can give you individualised strategies that help your child thrive!
Hypermobility is highly manageable with the right support, and the earlier it is identified, the easier it is to manage. A full physiotherapy assessment will give you a clear picture of how hypermobility is affecting your child specifically and a plan that is built around them, not just a generic program.
You do not need a referral. You just need to reach out, give us a call or click on the link below to fill out our intake form.
Expert physio. Empowered kids. Supported families.