Impact of Joint Hypermobility
By Joyce Y. Sumi, RDH, MS, Anna M. Pattison, RDH, MS and Michaela Nguyen, RDH, MS
Dental hygiene clinicians should be aware of the characteristics of joint hypermobility (JH) and be able to recognize how this condition can adversely impact their careers and the effectiveness of periodontal instrumentation. JH or joint laxity is an increased range of motion in the joints. Many individuals refer to this condition as “double-jointed.”1 JH is common in those with genetic diseases, such as Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and osteogenesis imperfecta. However, JH also occurs among individuals without rare hereditary conditions. The majority of people with JH do not experience any systemic problems.2,3 The Beighton criteria is a common guide that should be used by all clinicians to determine their level of hypermobility. The condition may be present in a few joints or widespread (Table 1).4,5 While, the Beighton criteria is traditionally used to determine general JH, it is only one of the diagnostic components for pathological syndromes.
* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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