15 hypermobile joints and bad back pain any link?

[Sash2destiny]

i'm only 15 and have resently be told by a rheumatologist that i have hypermobile joints.
the only thing he sugested was to grow up quickly so the joints get stiffer.
painkillers no longer work because i have back pain constantly so i have been taking them for so long
does anyone know if there is a link between my bad back and my joints and know of anything that can help at all
15 is an important age as i have my GCSE's coming up but as i have pain and cannot consentrate at all, also i am not sleeping
if i cant fix this i'm worried that its goin to affect the rest of my life as i won't do as well as i should do
i am suposed 2 get A's but resently this has been goin down hill due to these factors.
hopefully someone can help me [formatting changed by moderator as too difficult to read]

[hempty]

HI,

I dont know much about hypermobile joints, but as someone who suffers a lot of knee problems i have also suffered back problems, i regularly see a chiropractor who tells me the back problems are from walking funny due to knee pain... she sorts it out pretty quick for me though..
I hope you do well with GCSEs
Jane

[Linds]

It sounds like you may have some sort of genetic hypermobility. You might want to do a search on Benign hypermobility syndrome, Marfans, Elhers Danlos Syndrome. It may that you just have really flexible joints, but it could be something more.

Goodluck
Linds

[mbr20]

Hi

I have hypermobile joints, and do get back pain if I am not careful. I have found that swimming really helps with this as it tends to help strengthen the supporting muscles which in turn has helped reduce the pain.  Even only 1 session a week helps!
MB

[libertynm]

hi,
If you are hypermobile in multiple joints, you may also be hypermobile in your spine.  There are ligamentous structures supporting your spine as well.  My recommendation would be to see a physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist) and to discuss what kind of a strengthening program you can start to let your muscles take over some of the role your ligaments out to be playing.  Swimming is great exercise and can help your core strength.  If you are hypermobile in your shoulders, be careful to engage your back musculature enough so that you don't sublux when bringing your arm forward in freestyle. The good thing is that you are figuring this out early on. . .I didn't find out until I was nearly twice your age.

Hang in there!

[Silkncardcrafts]

]i'm only 15 and have resently be told by a rheumatologist that i have hypermobile joints.
the only thing he sugested was to grow up quickly so the joints get stiffer.
painkillers no longer work because i have back pain constantly so i have been taking them for so long
does anyone know if there is a link between my bad back and my joints and know of anything that can help at all
15 is an important age as i have my GCSE's coming up but as i have pain and cannot consentrate at all, also i am not sleeping
if i cant fix this i'm worried that its goin to affect the rest of my life as i won't do as well as i should do
i am suposed 2 get A's but resently this has been goin down hill due to these factors.
hopefully someone can help me

Hi there,

Makes me sick when I hear stories like this. That's why I was never keen on going to see a rheumatologist.

There is definitely a link between your back and joints. Everything is interlinked somehow. All my joints are hypermobile but have had most problems with my knees, shoulders and left ankle. I've also had quite a few problems with my back as a result of my shoulder. With hypermobile joints you are more prone to subluxations and disclocations. In my case I've had instabilities and resulted in having surgery, which has helped immensely. I'm due to have an operation on my shoulder in early October. After the operations I've found I have much less pain. However, people with loose ligaments are always advised to try a conservative rehab program first as our joints can stretch after the operation or go the other way. For me, I have done conservative treatment extensively before considering surgery. Luckily for me I've responded well to the surgery and doing much better now.

I wasn't diagnosed until I was in university. It took a while to find the right people, but now I see a really sports physician who has a much better understanding of this condition than my GP ever did. I would highly recommend seeing a good sports physician. There is a clinic in London called Pure Sports Medicine which is really good. There is an Australian Sports Physician there called Peter Fuller who is meant to be very good. Also important to have a good physio that understands the condition. You find that sports physicians are generally at the front of their field as they are treating elite athletes and need to get them back into action quickly.

With hypermobile joints it's really important to stay active to keep the joints moving. I go to the gym about 3 times a week and also do pilates twice a week. Pilates has been my god send. It has made all the difference. It's important to go to a pilates place that does individual programs for participants. I do mine in a group of three in Melbourne and the classes are run by physios so understand my issues quite well. Just over a month ago I had a knee operation and had to stop for a couple of weeks while I recovered. Was in a lot of pain as I wasn't able to do much, but once I started back in the gym and at pilates I was so much better. You'd probably find pilates a good one to do if you have a bad back. Many people that have had bad backs or injuries do pilates at the clinic I go to. Many of them are so much better off now.

Good luck !

[JennyinLondon]

i'm only 15 and have resently be told by a rheumatologist that i have hypermobile joints.
the only thing he sugested was to grow up quickly so the joints get stiffer.
painkillers no longer work because i have back pain constantly so i have been taking them for so long
does anyone know if there is a link between my bad back and my joints and know of anything that can help at all
15 is an important age as i have my GCSE's coming up but as i have pain and cannot consentrate at all, also i am not sleeping
if i cant fix this i'm worried that its goin to affect the rest of my life as i won't do as well as i should do
i am suposed 2 get A's but resently this has been goin down hill due to these factors.
hopefully someone can help me 

Hi there,

Makes me sick when I hear stories like this. That's why I was never keen on going to see a rheumatologist.

There is definitely a link between your back and joints. Everything is interlinked somehow. All my joints are hypermobile but have had most problems with my knees, shoulders and left ankle. I've also had quite a few problems with my back as a result of my shoulder. With hypermobile joints you are more prone to subluxations and disclocations. In my case I've had instabilities and resulted in having surgery, which has helped immensely. I'm due to have an operation on my shoulder in early October. After the operations I've found I have much less pain. However, people with loose ligaments are always advised to try a conservative rehab program first as our joints can stretch after the operation or go the other way. For me, I have done conservative treatment extensively before considering surgery. Luckily for me I've responded well to the surgery and doing much better now.

I wasn't diagnosed until I was in university. It took a while to find the right people, but now I see a really sports physician who has a much better understanding of this condition than my GP ever did. I would highly recommend seeing a good sports physician. There is a clinic in London called Pure Sports Medicine which is really good. There is an Australian Sports Physician there called Peter Fuller who is meant to be very good. Also important to have a good physio that understands the condition. You find that sports physicians are generally at the front of their field as they are treating elite athletes and need to get them back into action quickly.

With hypermobile joints it's really important to stay active to keep the joints moving. I go to the gym about 3 times a week and also do pilates twice a week. Pilates has been my god send. It has made all the difference. It's important to go to a pilates place that does individual programs for participants. I do mine in a group of three in Melbourne and the classes are run by physios so understand my issues quite well. Just over a month ago I had a knee operation and had to stop for a couple of weeks while I recovered. Was in a lot of pain as I wasn't able to do much, but once I started back in the gym and at pilates I was so much better. You'd probably find pilates a good one to do if you have a bad back. Many people that have had bad backs or injuries do pilates at the clinic I go to. Many of them are so much better off now.

Good luck !

Hi KJwilkin

Just stumbled across your post on this and thought i'd drop you a line.  Am currently in the Uk but was supposed to be moving to Melbourne on 14th October -  say supposed to as am having to postpone trip due to backpain/knee flaring up.  Was interested to see your posts regarding pilates and phyios and was wondering if you could provide me contact details of the orthopaedic surgeon whose care you are under in melbourne and places that offer physio/remedial pilates. My email is [email protected] thanks so much for any tips!

To cut a long story short...i fractured my patella in 2005 and had an arthrocopy in Nov 2005 removed plica at the London Knee clinic v good -  subsequently developed cyst/swelling and had a second MRI scan in June 2006 which failed to be conclusive didnt pick up on mneniscus tear but eveidence of cyst one OS said yes lets cut it out the other not sure i didnt think arthroscopic decompression was the way forward....then i had three unsuccessful aspirations/injections of my semimembranus tendon and saw an orthopeadic spots injury specialist whose diagnosis would be too long to list here but basically advised orthotoc fittings snd continue physio - was prescribed arcoxia (which may have contributed to my stomach ulcer) and seemed to be responsive to acupuncture but fast forward nearly a year and my knee still is painful if i walk more than hour clicks etc etc - i quit my job in london and moved back home and meant to be going to Melbourne on a working holiday visa to try soemthing new careerwise/start a new life aiming to get sponsorship and/or study postgrad course was aleady accepted last year but decided to go gain work experience first....

Saw a new physio on 5th Sept who did lots of dioagnostic tests as a result of which i have been a in agony hobbling on 2 cruches....decided to not let it get to me so went on holiday s planned but was in pain practically all the time as swelling etc on knee.....the physio thinks i have hypermobile joints and issues with fatpad/patellafemoral syndrome and tendonopathy of the semi membranus tendon and has suggested taping to see if that helps the pain...he also pressed my spine and i am now in acute pain with back...he thinks further tests are necessary though it could be a case of referred pain knee back.  I should also mention that i sustained a whiplash injury in 2004 as a result of which i had problems for a year or so my back was in spasm and it took ages to settle -  i tried some remedial pilates but since having knee op being on crutches etc havent continued - the mri scan of my spine and OS at the time said it was misaligned slightly but that there wasnt any serious neurological damage but sensitivity facet joint syndrome....i had continued physio/acupuncture/pain management clinics/tens machine etc and got better though it got stiff etc...its hasnt flared up like this for ages and am feeling pretty miserable with knee and back being as they are....i dont fully understand hypermobility but from the posts above it seems that it could explain why the mere action of having a sit down bath has made the pain heaps worse.....i am so fed up...i know that if this is chronic knee pain and as its been nearly 2years i am not going to find a miracle solution though equally i can not fly to Australia as planned...i feel as if i am putting my life on hold but have faith in the australian healthcare system...and feel that ultimately i should try and get on with my life...i will cancel my flight for the 14th but want to arrive by xmas...i hope that my knee and back will be more settled in 6 weeks time and figured if i have to have physio/hydratherapy i might as well do that in oz as i dont want to feel i am static anymore...i quit my job left london and having been working at my mum's but i really feel that its time for me to move forward and find ways to deal with it...not sure if i will need another op either but not impressed by the standard of nhs physio care either...i feel that pilates wold be good once the acute phase is over and when i do get to melbourne however long that will be would love to get these contacts incase i need to.....

Anyhow think i have rambled on enough look forward to hearing back!

thanks so much

Jenny

[Silkncardcrafts]

Hi Jenny,

I sent you an email. Did you get it ?

Speak soon !!! 

[titch]

Hi, I am 40, and after many years of undiagnosed ailments and unexplained injuries i have just been diagnosed with hypermobility after suffering Chronic back pain for years.  I was finally diagnosed after I could no-longer cope with the back pain, and pushed my G.P. to refer me for further testing.
Anyway moaning aside because it helps no-one,
I have found that Yoga Nidra (Deep relaxation tecniques) and meditation have helped me to cope, and lead as normal a life as possible. 
I think that Deep relaxation such as Yoga Nidra may help you to attain a frame of mind where you can learn to concentrate on your studies.  You can download affirmations to your Ipod touch (if you have one) these have the same effect on me as Yoga Nidra, and they are very cheap.  You can also buy Yoga Nidra Cd's.  Reflexology, and Reiki treatments could also be considered.

I hope this helps you, I know the pain is sometimes hard to cope with, but remember that you have already proved that you can achieve anything you want just by being able to get up in the morning and carry on with another day, so one step at a time, you can cope with this too.

Good luck, and best wishes.
Tina xx

[jkdelz]

i'm only 15 and have resently be told by a rheumatologist that i have hypermobile joints.
the only thing he sugested was to grow up quickly so the joints get stiffer.
painkillers no longer work because i have back pain constantly so i have been taking them for so long
does anyone know if there is a link between my bad back and my joints and know of anything that can help at all
15 is an important age as i have my GCSE's coming up but as i have pain and cannot consentrate at all, also i am not sleeping
if i cant fix this i'm worried that its goin to affect the rest of my life as i won't do as well as i should do
i am suposed 2 get A's but resently this has been goin down hill due to these factors.
hopefully someone can help me:-\

Boy just do regular exercise it will help you to make stiffer your joints. About your back pain just have a regular exercise to relief that there are so many tips and exercises for back pain just google it. Don't worry about that you will be fine believe your self.

- John
________________
"Believing yourself is the best medicine!"
- [link removed by KNEEguru]