Have you ever wondered which are the experts who can help with your Hypermobility?
Many providers do not understand hypermobility, and you may need to try several before you find a group of people who can support you.
However, the usual Hypermobility dream team is assembled by:
- A great primary care provider.
- A great manual therapist.
- A strength coach.
Keep reading to learn more about how each one can help.
A great primary care provider
It can be a family practice, internal medicine, or naturopathic, but it needs to be someone who can keep an eye on your health from the whole picture.
It is someone who can order testing if you need it to rule out other problems that can be associated with hypermobility. They can prescribe and monitor medication that can help manage pain and inflammatory issues if you need them.
If they don’t know about hypermobility, this should be a person who is willing to learn and support you in your search with testing, medications, and finding answers.
A great manual therapist
It can be a physical therapist, a massage therapist, or an alternative practitioner who does hands-on therapy to help you manage your muscle pain and spasms and correct your alignment.
Unfortunately, it does not tend to be a feel-good treatment but a therapeutic one, and not all therapists are equal.
It would help if you found someone who can look at your alignment and see which tight muscles need to be worked out and which ones need to be left alone.
How do you know if someone can do this? First of all, ask them.
Talk to them about their experience and approach, and if you can’t find someone who understands hypermobility, find someone willing to learn and work with you and learn what you need.
If you find an all-in-one therapist, that is a great find. If you don’t, you may need to find another provider who can assess and manage your alignment.
A strength coach
The last type of provider is a strength coach. You must find someone to work with you to improve your overall strength, focusing on small muscles, correct muscle use, and stabilize.
You want to wait on activities such as yoga, dance, and ballet until you feel you have good control first.
The other thing that these people are good for is accountability. Even with the best intentions, most of us don’t get nearly as much strengthening as we plan to or as often.
This person can be a physical therapist, a personal trainer, a pilates instructor, and an exercise physiologist. Still, you need a stabilization strength program, not just a heavy lifting program.
Best Hypermobility treatment tips
Focus on the symptom or problem
Often people with these conditions go to the doctor with entire lists of symptoms, pains, and problems, and in the current world of short office visits, people can’t get through their history, let alone their problems, and have time for a treatment plan.
Once you decide what you want for the visit, stick to your plan. Try to summarize your situation in 2 sentences.
Know what your provider can do for you
Do your research. While everyone would love to show up in an office and have the provider tell you everything about your condition and what you should do about it, the reality is there is so much knowledge out there.
Don’t discount a professional’s recommendation
If it is not what you want, a better option is to ask why they think it is the best option, and then to say thank you and think about it.
Leaving an office with a prescription doesn’t mean you have to fill it or take it. Talk with your pharmacist if you are concerned about side effects, and see how it fits into your plan.
Evaluate the why and your situation to determine what the best option is for you.
Ask Questions
Ask questions and understand what you are doing. If you are doing your part to be a good patient and don’t feel like you are getting what you need, you may need to try a few providers to find one that works well with your personality and your condition.
If you are looking for Hypermobility resources, feel free to check out my blog.
Are you looking to manage your Hypermobility symptoms?
Check out the Hypermobility Solution, the Hypermobile Neck Solution, and Hypermobility 101.
