Hypermobile joints move beyond a typical range of motion, and that changes what effective chiropractic care should look like. Whether or not you have a formal Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) diagnosis, joint hypermobility changes how adjustments should be done.

How Adjustments Work With Hypermobile Joints

A hypermobile joint already moves past a typical range, so the goal is not more motion. A neutral-position, low-force approach finds where a joint is actually restricted or compensating and corrects that specific area, working within the range that joint can hold steady.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Care with Open Source Technique (OST) uses light-force, neutral-position correction. For hypermobile patients, that often means identifying which joints are compensating for instability elsewhere, and working to improve stability and control rather than chasing more motion in joints that already have plenty of it.

Conditions on the Hypermobility Spectrum

• Generalized joint hypermobility (with or without a formal diagnosis)
• Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD)
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, hypermobile type (hEDS)
• Joint instability following an injury in someone who is already naturally flexible

Common Questions

• Is chiropractic care safe if my joints are hypermobile? Technique and force are adapted to your joints, and adjustment does not rely on pushing past a comfortable range.
• Will adjustments make my joints more unstable? The focus is on identifying and stabilizing areas of restriction and compensation, not adding more motion to joints that are already loose.
• I do not have a formal EDS diagnosis, just flexible joints. Does this still apply to me? Yes. Hypermobility exists on a spectrum, and a gentle, individualized approach applies whether or not there is a formal diagnosis.

Next Step

If you have hypermobile joints, an EDS diagnosis, or joints that just seem to move more than most, and you are looking for a chiropractor in Salt Lake City who understands why that changes the approach, book a free consultation. For a full look at the practice and additional EDS-specific resources, visit Gentle Chiropractic Salt Lake.