09/09/2025
NEW RESEARCH: Orthopaedic Manifestations in Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery shines light on the orthopaedic challenges in people with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS).
Over 1,000 people with hEDS responded to a global survey on their experiences with joint/spine pain, surgeries, and treatments. The results included:
● Tailored physical therapy was reported to be significantly more helpful than standard PT (79% vs 43%).
● Surgical complications were high – 36% for joint surgeries and 43% for spinal surgeries.
● Mental health burden is profound, with 85% experiencing symptoms daily or weekly.
Those who received EDS-tailored PT were:
• Nearly twice as likely to report improved posture (78.6% vs 43.1%)
• Significantly more satisfied with treatment
• More likely to stay in PT longer
• More likely to say it was as or more helpful than surgery
These findings confirm what many in the community already know: when physiotherapy is adapted for the unique needs of hEDS, outcomes improve significantly.
It further highlights the urgent need for more informed, specialised care pathways and better guidance around surgical decisions for hEDS patients.
The researchers explain that "These findings should guide physicians in managing hEDS and highlight the importance of incorporating this knowledge into clinical practice to improve the management of orthopaedic manifestations in patients with hEDS."
Orthopaedic Manifestations in Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Eichinger, Byrd, Bailey, Reis, Schiessl, Friedman et al, July 2025.
DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.24.01106
https://journals.lww.com/jbjsjournal/abstract/9900/orthopaedic_manifestations_in_hypermobile.1511.aspx