Joint Pain Relief for Child With Hypermobility

Hypermobility is a condition characterized by an abnormally large range of motion in the joints. It most commonly affects children and young adults, and diminishes in severity with age. In many individuals, hypermobility causes no medically significant difficulties. In other cases, however, the condition can lead to pain and unusually high rates of sprain and joint dislocation. Relief from these symptoms combines physical therapy with medication and activity modifications.

Understanding Hypermobility-Related Pain

• Joint pain with accompanying hypermobility is known as benign hypermobility syndrome. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this sort of pain is most likely to occur late in the day, after physical activity or at night. If you suspect your child has hypermobility-related pain, her doctor can perform a series of tests to investigate this possibility. These tests---known as Beighton scores---measure certain unusual ranges of motion, including the ability to touch a thumb to a forearm, the ability to bend a little finger back 90 degrees or more, and the ability to hyperextend an elbow or knee more than 10 degrees. If your child's Beighton score is four or higher (on a scale of nine), and pain is present in four or more joints for three months or longer, benign hypermobility is typically diagnosed.

Physical Therapy

• Your child's doctor will likely recommend a course of physical therapy to strengthen the joints and diminish hypermobility and pain. In addition to specific strengthening exercises, conditioning may include activities such as walking, swimming or skating. If pain occurs during one of these activities, your child's doctor may recommend methods of taping the affected joints, as well as the use of splints or braces. Balancing exercises (also known as proprioceptive exercises) may also directly diminish your child's pain level.

Medications

• Hypermobility-related pain can also be diminished temporarily through the use of appropriate medications. Common options include aspirin and other over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This form of treatment is especially helpful in dealing with post-activity swelling or inflammation. However, these medications will not address the source of your child's pain, and are not of sufficient help on their own.

Activity Modifications

• Certain habits and actions are known to worsen hypermobility-related pain, and should be avoided. These include popping and cracking of joints, sitting in a cross-legged position with the knees bent, and demonstrating hypermobile abilities to entertain others. If your child engages in any of these activities, encourage her to stop.

  Your child may also need to modify or avoid certain elective activities while combating hypermobility-related pain. These typically include sports such as basketball, gymnastics, long-distance running, football and soccer. Cheerleading may also worsen joint pain. Rather than place a general ban on these activities, your child's doctor will likely assess them and determine their suitability based on her specific condition. In some cases, diminishing the time spent in an activity is sufficient to provide a beneficial result. Work with your child's doctor to create an appropriate activity plan.