Physiotherapy protocol for patient with symptoms of joint hypermobility – case study

Introduction
Hypermobility can affect one or more joints and can be a result of injury or deliberate stretching training. It can also be congenial and linked to a range of symptoms affecting musculoskeletal and other internal organs and systems. The main symptom of hypermobility is pain which is often accompanied by posture defects. Well-conducted physiotherapy can help reduce or completely eliminate pain ailments for patients. The aim of this paper was to present a physiotherapy protocol of a patient with symptomatic joint hypermobility. Hypermobility is described as an increased range of motion in joints and ligaments, in relation to the accepted physiological norms. The root cause of hypermobility is a disruption in the proportions of collagen I and collagen III. The effects of disrupted collagen production are visible both in the musculoskeletal system, as well as other internal organ systems.

Material and methods
Case report: This work presents a physiotherapy protocol of a 34-year-old female patient with symptoms of joint hypermobility (Beighton scale score 7/9). Patient reported pain symptoms in the lumbar spine. Procedure: Physiotherapy protocol was based on Pilates-sourced exercises. Each workout comprised of 7 exercises focusing on individual muscle groups.

Results
Patient returned to the clinic after 10 days. No changes were observed in the range of motion in affected joints and Beighton scale score remained unchanged. Lumbar spine pain symptoms subsided. Patient reported significant improvement in her ability to complete daily tasks.

Conclusions
Physiotherapy for patients with joint hypermobility ought to focus on eliminating pain symptoms, improving joint stability, and improvement in proprioception. Short-term therapy (10 days) resulted in positive outcomes in the above-mentioned patient.