Hypermobility and working

This week's question -

I have hypermobility, does that mean I need to stop working my physically demanding job?

My answer -

This is a question I hear a lot from my patients with connective tissue troubles like EDS and HSD folks, whether it is regarding work or sports/exercise/activities. The answer, like so many other questions is that "it depends". However, at least with this one I can expand on that a little more. Whenever you have an injury/pain/joint mobility issue, what you can do as far as work and activities is directly related to the work you are willing to do.

Whether you have a chronic condition or an acute injury, how long it will take, and if you can "get back" depends on how hard and long you are willing to work on your physical health.

If you want to get back to a sedentary lifestyle, we can be talking in terms of days or weeks to address acute pain and get you strong enough to get out of bed and into your chair, maybe to the kitchen, bathroom and back feeling ok.

If you want to get back to a mildly active lifestyle including walks, playing with kids, etc, that is going to take a bit more work.

Finally, if you want to participate in highly active, unpredictable situations, you need to put in more work to prepare your body to do that, and likely daily maintenance to keep that ability for your body to withstand these high forces.

While many of my patients are looking for me to tell them a yes or a no, it is actually on them to make a decision. I have many patients who never thought they would play sports again that are in my office swinging kettlebells, lifting weights and playing rugby on the weekends - while adapting their lifestyle to commit to their bodies and working to keep them healthy. I will put in the work to help you reach your goals, no matter how long it takes. The question is - will you?