Exercising with Hypermobility Syndrome?

Help me, O noble members of MFP!

I have a condition called Hypermobility Syndrome - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypermobility

Essentially, almost all cardio just leads to worse pain for me. Running is the worst - I literally can't walk for days afterward. The only exercise that doesn't leave me in too much pain is walking and yoga. Problem is, I need to burn more calories, since I'm not losing! Does anyone have any exercises that have worked for them? I currently walk 7K a couple of times a week, but I want to improve my fitness and actually work up a sweat. I LOVE swimming, but I'm too fat to wear a swimsuit and don't have access to a pool at university. I want to exercise, since I hope that will stop me needing all this massage for my back and suchlike - it's expensive, and bloody painful ... anyone have any advice? Or just want to vent about similar issues?

Replies

  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
    My ex of 7 years suffers badly from it, I had to give her extensive back rubs every night and lots of weird noises happened. She tried lots of stuff but had much the same problems as you. The only things that she could get on with were swimming and pilates. Probably not what you wanted to hear, but alas it's all I have. For what it's worth, you're not too fat to wear a swimsuit (though the odds of you believing that are slim I know).
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    Careful with the yoga - you're already flexible, obviously, you probably need to strengthen stuff around your joints. Agree that Pilates would be better, because it's gentle strengthening.

    + 1 swimming too, BUT, if your shoulders are loose, avoid things like the butterfly stroke. Probably best to mix things up so you're not doing 1 type of cardio more than once a week - walking, swimming, pilates, maybe some basic body weight strength < BUT have a PT figure it out for you - there's probably a particular range of motion that's best for you, & you have your own imbalances, etc.

    Forget being embarrassed by being in a swimsuit. In a cap, black Speedo & goggles, you're totally anonymous.

    (I have hypermobility in shoulders, hips, wrists, & fingers. I am lifting weights, but progressing in weight very very slowly. & Yeah, stay the hell away from running.)
  • sann4137
    sann4137 Posts: 6 Member
    Hey, thanks guys! <3

    @Zomoniac - aww, at least she was lucky enough to have you to do it for her! That's lovely of you! <3

    @anemoneprose - yep, I'm 9/9 + flexible spine. I swim freestyle but at a low speed. I'll definitely look into Pilates, though - I've been told by a doctor to totally avoid weights because I can't tell when my joints overextend. I'm doomed to be flabby for life evidently D:
  • kzedelbee
    kzedelbee Posts: 3 Member
    Hi There

    I also have hypermobilty syndrome and have the same quandary as yourself about exercise. Anything more than walking results in my knees popping out and aches and pains. I've just come to accept that i have to work with my body rather than against it when it comes to fitness and unless i wan't permanent DOMS walking is the way forward.
    Yoga is fine as long as you hold yourself back from over stretching and focus more on strength and balancing asanas and holding the pose.
    Walking is great exercise, what i do is set myself challenges like see if i can walk a certain distance in a set time then once i've mastered that increase the distance.
    The thing to remember is that although fitness is important it's only 20% of the weight loss story so be kind to your body and do something thats going to nurture it long term.

    I hope you find something you enjoy my bendy friend.

    k x

    PS I would second Anenomeprose to stay away from running!
  • I have something similar (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome). It cause joint hypermobility and frequent disloctions. The best thing to do, is weightlifting. By putting muscle around the joint, it becomes more sturdy.
  • 6mimi
    6mimi Posts: 1,432 Member
    I have this condition as well. My Dr. Says no yoga for me as it will Make me more flexible and prone to injury. She suggested to work on strength training ( carefully because it would be easy for me to use incorrect form) and Pilates. Pilates actually seems to hurt me ( I over stretched and got hip bursitis) but the weight lifting seems to be helping. Good Luck to you. :flowerforyou:
  • Hi, I also have HMS. I was not properly diagnosed until i was 17. I had been suffering with pain severely since the age of 12 when i was told it was growing pains then at 15 i was told it was ligament damage. I eventually got to see a physio and they diagnosed me with HMS. I am at university and studying Sports and Exercise Science and my GP here now thinks i actually have EDS so i am being referred.

    I am very active I have always played sport and lead an active life. I was advised to give up certain sports such as Rugby and i did but i still play Hockey, i do classes such as boxersize, pilates and Yoga (I did check with my last physio that i could do Yoga and they agreed i could because it gave me light relief for a few days). I was a member of a gym for a while at home and this really helped me control the pain however, whilst at uni i stopped going. I have just started again as my HMS has been really uncontrolled recently which affected my exams at uni. I find that as long as i control the exercise i do if it is cycling, Running, Classes, core stability exercises it really helps, this then has a positive effect on my mind as recently my Dr thought i was getting slightly depressed due to the pain, lack of sleep, and embarrassment of falling over often in public.

    Personally i feel if you are using pain killers and can identify your self when to stop you can do any exercise in moderation to begin with and increase to an intensity you are happy with. I found it was just a case of trial and error to find what you are happy with, everyone was telling me to swim but recently it was getting too painful to continue.

    My Dr at university said to me i must always remember when being given advice and talking to other HMS sufferers that even though we suffer the same condition we are all different so things that work for some people may not work for you. This has helped me so much when trying to find exercise i could continue to do as i felt like i was getting nowhere. I limit what i do in exercises i enjoy but i know are bad for me, I have always looked at it as I don't want to give up a big part of my life so i have to find ways round it, also, i have always felt i would rather continue doing things I love in moderation such as Hockey then regret giving up so young when i am older. I always refuse to give in to the pain and things I refuse to let it dictate my life.

    I hope this helps a bit.
  • CitizenMichael
    CitizenMichael Posts: 50 Member
    Hi bumping the thread as my wife has HMS and osteoarthritis and has recently joined a gym so I am looking for some ideas to help her
  • Cati321
    Cati321 Posts: 35
    Hey! I see this post is from ages ago but I'm so excited to find someone else who has this problem! I get so achingly sore even from walking, it's awful. Did you ever get to a resolution? My physio said Pilates would be good, and then cardio with low impact in moderation. Still though, once it gets sore, it takes ages to go away. Really interested to hear how you're doing now!
  • sskilton
    sskilton Posts: 8 Member
    I too have JHS diagnosed at 14 now 39 so well experienced. I have had extensive physio and just finiahed a 10 session course with a personal trainer. Yes expensive but worth every penny. She taught me core strengthening exercises. We learned what I can do and certainly what I can't. Agreed with everyone else stay away from high impact sports like running. Anyway I do a lot of Gym ball work. Weights. Lunges and squats (carefully). I am feeling the strongest I have done since first diagnosis. I have spent far too long of being frightened to exercise although I would say the best exercises for JHS are walking and swimming. Hope you are managing. x