08/18/2025
Living with hypermobility often means navigating a world that isn’t designed for your body. Everyday activities like typing, cooking, or even standing can leave you fatigued or flared up.
Here are a few PT-approved strategies for joint protection with hypermobility:
- Posture Breaks: Avoid staying in one position too long. Change postures frequently (every 30-60 minutes) to reduce joint stress and overuse of surrounding muscles.
- Joint Stability: Use supports like rolled towels behind your back or wrist braces during typing-heavy tasks to maintain neutral joint positioning.
- Avoid End-Range Loading: Just because you can move far doesn’t mean you should. Stay in mid-range zones when lifting or carrying items. This will put less strain on the joint and more strain on the muscles.
- Strengthen: Build stability around vulnerable joints. Step on of strengthening is building body awareness, and knowing where your body is in space (proprioception) prior to being able to strengthen that area.
- Energy Management: Fatigue is real with hypermobility. Plan rest breaks before you’re exhausted. I recommend having scheduled breaks between tasks, or even during for longer tasks. If you take regular breaks, you will be able to last longer than if you go until you are exhausted, then need the rest of the day to recover.
Joint protection doesn’t mean being fragile; it means being strategic. With the right support, strength, and proprioception work, you can move through life with more comfort and control.
Looking for a Physical Therapist?
Check out my physical therapy and strength training services if you are interested. Don’t want to commit to sessions? Schedule a one time virtual assessment here, or just follow along for my free content on Instagram and Youtube.
