Hi all! I (35F) am very active and long distance running is my sport of choice. I also lift 2x per week with guidance from my PT to support my running. I've been going to PT for well over a year now and have made a lot of progress, but sometimes it feels like there's a missing piece to the puzzle that is my body. I do okay with making strength gains, but my stability and single leg balance seems to progress very slowly. I don't personally know anyone who has been to PT for as long as I have, at least not without a major injury. Thanks to the IG algorithm, I've been seeing a lot of hyper mobility content, and it feels very relatable. Here are the things that make me think I could be hyper mobile.
- I'm pretty flexible, but I tend to have muscles that are chronically tight. It could be my neck and traps, lower back, quads, or calves. The best relief has been dry needling. My PT finds it odd that I'm so open to it, but it's because I know it works! At least for a while.
- The instability I mentioned. Get me on one leg, and my foot tries to roll outward, or the muscles around my hip just give up. After a few reps, it improves, but it takes a stupid amount of concentration.
- Not sure if this is related or not, but heaven forbid I miss a week of workouts, or modify my strength routine! My muscles act like they've never done said exercises and I get DOMS for the next two days. Yes, I do supplement with additional protein.
- Pain... Dealing with some level of it nearly every day. Usually low-grade. Sometimes moderate. And being sedentary doesn't help. My husband asks why I have so much trouble "just sitting down" and I half joke when I say "If I keep moving, the pain can't get me!"
- I bump into things in my own home.
- Get bruises I can't always explain.
- Not a great sleeper. It takes 300mg of magnesium glycinate and 100mg of Trazodone to knock me out. Even then, there are nights where I toss and turn frequently. Seeing a sleep specialist in July.
- I shake a lot when doing exercises that target my shoulders or hips. PT is always pointing it out.
- I have Mitral Valve Prolapse, which is apparently more prominent amongst people with hyper mobility. Also heart palpitations are a regular part of my life.
- Score 7/9 on the Beighton Test (self testing)
- Skin can appear translucent, particularly in the legs. Though this could have more to do with Albinism.
- Still need to figure out why, but I get ocular migraines. This is something that has gotten worse in the last 6 months. I have noticed it's more frequent when my neck and shoulders are extra tight.
- I can feel soft tissue (maybe ligaments?) shift around some joints with movement. Example, calf stretch too far, and my left achilles shifts over to the left.
- I have anxiety (hence the overthinking!) and my nervous system became very disregulated when I tried living without SSRIs for 6 months, resulting in terrible burn out at the end of 2025. Currently back on meds, and going to therapy. I highly recommend therapy to those who can access it!
The only thing that makes me think I am not hyper mobile is I've never dislocated or subluxed a joint. At least I don't think I have... I hear that hurts a lot.
I asked my PT last week how she would rate my mobility and she asked if I felt like I wasn't as flexible as others, which really threw me off! She said she doesn't think mobility is my problem, and that it's just muscle imbalances. But I would love to know what is causing the imbalances that we've been working to correct for the last 14 months! Anyway, she has never told me to push my range of motion farther. She's also had me do stretches while asking if I can feel said stretch, and unless we're really pushing the range, my answer has always been "no." I think this week I'm going to bring it up again, and be clear that I'm worried I may be more flexible than others.
Thank you for reading my very long tirade :D