Why Hypermobility Needs a Different Approach in Physical Therapy
Dr. Valerie Brown working with a client to address biomechanical and alignment based engagement in common yoga postures.
If you've ever been told you're "just flexible" or dismissed when your body feels unstable or painful, you're not alone. Hypermobility often flies under the radar in traditional physical therapy—yet it requires a completely different approach to truly support your body.
Hypermobility Isn’t Just About Being “Bendy”
Hypermobility means your joints move beyond the typical range of motion. For some people, this shows up as flexibility that looks impressive in yoga or dance. But for others, it can mean joint pain, fatigue, recurring injuries, or even digestive and nervous system issues.
It’s not just about your joints—it’s about how your entire body regulates itself. Your connective tissue (fascia, ligaments, even the tissue around your organs) plays a big role in structural support, proprioception (your body’s sense of position), and nervous system signaling. When that tissue is more elastic than stable, your body works overtime to compensate. That compensation can lead to muscle tension, instability, and exhaustion.
Why Traditional PT Doesn’t Always Work
Standard physical therapy often focuses on stretching tight muscles or strengthening isolated muscles. But if you’re hypermobile, you likely already have more range than your body can safely control, and you might be very strong- but that doesn’t translate to functional movements. Stretching can actually make things worse—causing more instability, more pain, and more confusion about what your body needs. Strengthening can reinforce muscle imbalances and nervous system patterning.
You might have heard things like:
“You just need to strengthen your core.”
“Your pain doesn’t make sense based on your imaging.”
“Everything looks fine—are you sure it’s that bad?”
These responses can be frustrating—and overtime very confusing and dismissive. That’s why hypermobility needs a more informed, whole-body approach that considers both biomechanics and nervous system regulation.
A Trauma-Informed, Stability-Focused Approach
In my practice, instead of focusing on more motion, we prioritize somatic awareness, breath, stability and balance. We take small, intentional steps to rebuild your body’s sense of safety and support from the inside out.
This means:
Somatic and breath-based practices to calm a dysregulated nervous system
Fascial support and neuro-energetic techniques that build internal awareness
Targeted stability work that respects joint position and control
Functional movement training that prioritizes efficiency and ease, not extremes
Most importantly, we listen—to your symptoms, your experience, and your story. Because hypermobility is not just physical—it’s also emotional, neurological, and deeply individual.
You Deserve Care That Gets It
If you’ve been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or just confused about why your body feels the way it does, you’re not broken—and you’re not alone. With the right kind of support, you can build strength, feel more stable, and move through life with greater confidence and less pain.
Hypermobility deserves its own roadmap—and we’re here to help you find yours.
“It’s not just about your joints—it’s about how your entire body regulates itself. ”
