What causes loose joints?
“Loose joints” is a lay term that may be used to describe hypermobile joints. Joint hypermobility — the ability of a joint to move beyond its normal range of motion — is common in children and decreases with age. Having a few hypermobile joints isn’t unusual. In most people, joint hypermobility causes no problems and requires no treatment. But in some people, hypermobility causes joint pain and results in a higher incidence of dislocations, sprains and secondary osteoarthritis. Doctors refer to this as benign hypermobility syndrome. In benign hypermobility syndrome, the ligaments that provide joint stability are loose and weak. This increases the risk of ligament injury or strain and can cause pain. If you have joint pain and other symptoms hypermobility, your doctor may check for specific signs, which include the ability to: • Bend your little fingers backward to a 90-degree angle • Bend your thumbs to your forearms • Hyperextend your elbows 10 degrees beyond neutral • Hyperextend you
