Show Notes
Hypermobility affects EVERYTHING (because connective tissue is EVERYWHERE!), and pregnancy is no exception!
Trigger Warning: adverse pregnancy events, pregnancy complications
The biggest source of confusion when it comes to hypermobility and pregnancy is how some hypermobile people can have relatively uneventful pregnancies (in fact, some hypermobile people even report finding that pregnancy improves their symptoms in some ways!) whereas others experience serious complications relating to their hypermobility. Suffice to say it’s complicated. I’ve tried my best to share what I consider to be important information, but please do remember that it’s impossible to cover every aspect of a complex topic like pregnancy perfectly in a single episode. As I’m not a pregnancy specialist these are simply my views as an osteopath who works with patients where pregnancy (or plans for future pregnancy) can affect their care and management.
In this episode you'll learn👇
What an episiotomy is (and why you need to understand how it can affect your hypermobile body)
What you might want to think about pre-conception
Why we need to normalise pregnancy prehab!
As always, please remember that all of the information contained within this podcast is for informational purposes ONLY. Please be sure to speak with your appropriately qualified healthcare provider if you have any concerns❣️
SHOWNOTES🤓
Today’s episode referenced a lot of research and resources. I have put them here, but please be sure to check my blog at hypermobilityhq.com for complete citations as well as a text transcript of the episode.
If you only have time to read 1 thing. . .
Make it this: A clinical update on hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome during pregnancy, birth and beyond. I promise it’s more exciting than it sounds, and it is the one article I would recommend that EVERY hypermobile person reads.
Connect with Me
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hypermobilityhq
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilityhq/
and. . .👇
Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@hypermobilityhq
Work with Me
If you wish to learn more about my clinical work with both remote and in-person patients, you can visit my website here: https://www.hypermobilityhq.com/
Contact Me
If you wish to contact me directly, please send an email to [email protected]
Join My (Awesome!) Community
Looking for a little "hypermobile home" on the internet where you can learn more about hypermobility and connect with other people who are going through the same journey? Well, be sure to check out Hypermobility HQ. Hypermobility HQ is a private membership community that gives the scientifically-minded hypermobile person a non-judgemental place to share thoughts, strategies, and experiences on navigating life in a hypermobile body. Because incurable does not mean untreatable!For more info and to make sure you don't miss the launch make sure you're subscribed to my mailing list. You can sign up here: stan.store/HypermobilityHQ
Words Matter!
If you wish to read the National Institutes of Health style guide on inclusive and gender-neutral language, you can find it here: https://www.nih.gov/nih-style-guide/inclusive-gender-neutral-language
And a GIANT Thank You to Everyone Who Has Left a Review + Subscribed💙
At the time of me writing this, we're at SIXTY-FIVE (!!!!!!!!) reviews🤩I wonder if we can get to 70???
And make sure you're subscribed to this podcast to automatically receive your brand new episodes. This season we're talking about all of the most highly requested topics. Should be a fun one! 👀
Wishing you the best in health and everything else,
Alex❤️
More from Help! I'm Hypermobile
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Listening to your body is hard – ESPECIALLY when you're hypermobile and struggle to feel things in the first place.
Is it really “just” an ankle sprain? WE’RE BACK (again!) and this episode, I’m joined by physiotherapist and clinic founder Charlie Goodchild @physio.coach.london to talk about ankle sprains and hypermobility, and why these injuries are often more complex than they seem. For people who are hypermobile, (including those with hEDS or HSD) ankle sprains can be more frequent, slower to recover, and sometimes part of a bigger picture involving joint instability, proprioception challenges, and recurrent injury. We explore why standard advice does not always work for hypermobile bodies and what a more informed approach to rehab can look like. Charlie shares practical insights on ankle instability, strength training, rehab progressions, and how to stop the cycle of repeated sprains. We also discuss how to know when an ankle injury needs deeper assessment rather than being dismissed as “just a sprain.” In this episode, we cover: * Why ankle sprains are common in hypermobility • The link between hypermobility and chronic ankle instability • Why getting a boot might save you a lot of future ankle-related grief • Charlie’s personal journey navigating ankle sprains and eventually ankle surgery • When to seek further assessment or specialist support
Dealing with hEDS/HSD and co-occurring conditions, including scoliosis, is anything but easy.
What if the problem was never that you weren’t trying hard enough, but that your hypermobile body needed a different approach to strength training?