By Susanna on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 05:34 pm:

I have been surfing all day, because an orthopedist just looked at my sore shoulder, which I thought was hurt last fall by dancing, and told me I have EDS.

But everything I've read seems to contradict this completely. I'm 46 and I've never in my life been able to do anything unusual with a single joint. I do have some
clicking in knees and now in the bad shoulder. But I can't hyperextend a thing. And I've never dislocated a thing. How could this possibly be EDS or even HMS?

By Bridget on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 05:35 pm:

I know only one person with HMS/EDS outside of my immediate family. Here's what finally helped her get diagnosed. Her mother had a shoulder injury, and her
orthopedist also suggested EDS. The mother hadn't been that impaired, but the daughter is quite disabled, in pain, etc. This is one reason genetic disorders are
sometimes so difficult to diagnose, the expression of it can vary so much from person to person, even in the same family.
-- Bridget, Tucson, AZ

By Sue C. on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 05:35 pm:

I found out about my EDS thru a dermatologist my Mom saw once. Although he didn't think she had it.

By Susanna on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 05:35 pm:

I've looked at a few pictures, and my shoulders don't look unusual that I can see. I will get my friends to watch out for this while I'm in the process of trying for that
second opinion. I think my shoulders are definitely unstable, but I believe the cause is, rather than genetics, what one site called "chronic microtrauma from repetitive
overhead movement." My right arm has been twisted and pulled over my head countless times in the past four years of dancing. Now I know the damage that can
do.

Thanks so much for your quick responses. I've learned a lot reading this site. I wish you all well; it's wonderful to see the Internet making this kind of information
exchange possible.

By Sue C. on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 05:36 pm:

Sometimes it's hard to tell what hyperextends/ dislocates and what doesn't. I found out last month that my shoulders are dislocating a lot -- I thought it was just
excess motion. According to one book I just bought, my knee caps are almost always subluxed (partially dislocated), rather than sitting in their grooves.

After looking at some pictures of hyperextensions (ednf.org), consult your doctor again to find out why he/she made that diagnosis. If he/she doesn't make sense to
you, look elsewhere for medical help!

Good luck.

By Bianca on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 05:36 pm:

It is possible, that you cannot do all the things, they show on pictures, but only some, because sometimes not all joints are hypermobile. Also when you get older the
mobility of joints becomes less. But when you can't do and was not able to do anything of that,when you were younger, I would say like Greg, try another doctor or
speak with a specialist for hypermobility or/and EDS.

By Greg on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 05:36 pm:

Susanna,

I think your orthopedists may be misinformed. To have HMS/EDS, your joints should be moving abnormally! Try another doctor.

Greg

By Lesley Duff on Tuesday, June 06, 2000 - 11:34 pm:

I am having problems with HMS and my youngest son is also hypermobile. My eldest is not hypermobile but is having a lot of problems with 'growing pains', my OT says that she thinks that is all connected.