Hypermobility and Hypotonia
“Help for the loose-jointed, highly flexible, and often Injured and in Pain child… “
If you could help your child achieve all their dreams, what would it be worth to you?
What is considered to have hypotonia and hypermobility?
Hypermobility Joint Syndrome (HJS) is when the body joints and connective tissues are considered over flexible. Hypotonia is lower than average ability for muscles to contract and produce force. Having one or the combination of both often impacts a child’s coordination and strength and in turn, leads to pain and injuries when sports or increased activities are attempted. It’s a common joint or muscle problem in children and young adults
What causes it?
Hypermobility and hypotonia are often genetic and familial. Meaning your children are often built and born with a certain level of muscle tone and flexibility that they will live with for their life. Endocrine and metabolic deficiencies, certain congenital diagnosis, and nutritional imbalance can also be a factor. Hypotonia can be caused by a variety of conditions, including those that involve the central nervous system, muscle disorders, and genetic disorders
Impairments it can cause…
- Difficulty achieving basic milestones like head control, sitting up, crawling on hands and knees, and walking on time
- Lack of participation with peers and sports
- Frequent injuries like rolled ankles, twisted knees, back pain, and neck strains
- Clumsiness
- Complaints about fatigue
- Difficulty with sensorimotor regulation and being able to gauge body awareness, force production, and foot placement
- Complaints of pain without true identification of injury or location
Physiologically, hypermobility and hypotonia and often stem from…
Small changes in the chemical processes in your body can result in weakened collagen fibers and more elasticity in the ligaments that help to hold the joints together. This is likely to cause hypermobility in many joints. There’s fairly strong evidence that hypermobility caused by abnormal collagen can be inherited.
HJS can cause a wide range of symptoms, including pain and stiffness in the joints and muscles – particularly towards the end of the day and after physical activity, even in kids
HJS seems to happen more often in Asian-American children than in Caucasian children, and it is least common in African-American children. The reasons for that aren’t clear.
When large groups of schoolchildren are tested, as many as 40% have the syndrome. About 10% of these children have hypermobility that can lead to pain after activities or at night. No one knows why some children feel that discomfort, while others with equally loose joints don’t have pain or swelling.
When should I worry?
- If your child is not meeting milestones
- If your child complains of fatigue and avoids physical activities
- If your child uses atypical positions and skills like w-sitting, toe walking, 3-point crawling, head tilt
- If your child wants to play competitive contact sports
- If your child complains of pain without identifiable reason
If not identified, Hypermobility and hypotonia will continue to interfere with a child’s ability to be strong and successful with physical activities. If your child wants to play contact supports or endurance activities, this will lead to a long road of injuries and more time on the sidelines than on the field
Ask yourself these questions to see if your child has hypermobility or hypotonia?
1) Does my child appear double jointed and more flexible than others? Such as, when bending at the waist, with the knees straight, the child or adult can put their palms flat on the floor or fingers that bend backward past 90 degrees, or knees that hyperextend.
2) Do they seem unaware of where their body is in space and run with arms out to the side or sit with a forward head?
3) Does my child seem soft and have trouble holding their own body weight, often leaning into others and surfaces for support?
4) Does my child collapse like a wet noodle when trying to wiggle out of being held or when they are tired, and need to be carried?
5) Does my child sometimes lock out their arms or legs and seem strong and stiff when I’m trying to move them or when trying to have balance?
DISCLAIMER: If you answered Yes to any of the above questions, your child may be at risk of HJS and/or hypotonia. You may need to see a doctor to get an official diagnosis and a therapist to get the proper treatment
“How do you treat Hypotonia and hypermobility?”
Treating hypotonia and hypermobility requires reducing the secondary impairments caused by this underlying state. As a parent, you will learn how important posture, the right shoes, the right surfaces, and the right choices for activities will be critical in helping your child succeed.
If the hypotonia and hypermobility are already contributing to delays in skills, then physical therapy will assist your child in improving joint stability and muscle contraction force so that your child can catch up on the skills they are missing.
If your child is experiencing pain and injury, then we are able to help treat the injury as well as provide the necessary care needed for better prevention and success in the future.
We want your child to be able to achieve their dreams, and don’t want HJS and resulting pain and injuries to hold them back.
So, here are a few tips to start. It’s a good idea to strengthen the muscles around loose joints. We use yoga and multifunctional movement techniques that work best. For some types of injuries, we may recommend splints, braces, or taping to protect affected joints during activity.
These tips will help your child avoid overstretching their hypermobile joints:
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- Sit cross-legged with both knees bent, feet in front (“Indian style”).
- Bend the knees slightly when standing.
- Wear shoes with good arch supports.
- Stop any unusual joint movements and joint popping/cracking that hypermobile children often use to entertain their friends.
Not all treatments are the same.
Not all traditional treatments are the same. Many practitioners do not understand how to identify the underlying presence on hypermobility and hypotonia and often mislabel kids as sensory, behavioral, ADHD, hyperactive, or unathletic.
Our methods are highly unique. We focus on both the child and the parent. It is important for you to be able to carry out techniques and strategies so that your child can thrive in his/ her natural environments.
Medications don’t fix loose joints. If pain after exercise is a problem, ask your doctor about over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, such as naproxen or ibuprofen.
“Who are you?”
aMAYZing Kids Is made up of a team of experienced developmental specialists. Lori Roelofs, MPT, is a licensed physical therapist with 18 years experience who specializes in pediatric related disorders and has treated children of all ages and diagnosis. She’s completed Level 1 Yoga training, MFM and IASTM certification, and incorporates a variety of techniques to work with your child. Tammy Daneman, PTA has over 25 years of experience in treating children and is a valuable asset to our team and to your family as well. Bianca Costa, DPT joins our team this year, and brings her talent in orthopedics and injury treatment. They all have a special interest in helping children and families
“What can I expect from this program?”
- Get rid of pain and injury*
2. Lose the frustration of not knowing what to do to help your child
3. Improve your child’s ability for lifelong skills with strength and posture
4. Increase your child’s strength and ability to achieve motor skills
5. Improve their confidence, independence, and sleep
6. Prevent being left on the sidelines and not able to participate in the sports they want to play.
*The complexity of your condition will determine your level of results.
“How quickly will I see results?”
- Most feel better immediately about knowing what to do to help their child. You can expect to learn what to do and be able to do it on your own after the very first session.
- Your child could see an improvement in pain and posture in as little as 7 days while on this program.
- Most are done with the program in 12 sessions and then continue on their own. Some require 18 sessions depending on the complexity of their child’s condition and if there are additional injuries.
“How much does it cost?”
Because there are so many parents who I believe need access to this vital information, I have created a special program to make it extremely affordable for everyone. You don’t need insurance or pay thousands of dollars.
The cost ranges from approximately $27 to $107 per session. And most complete the program within 12 sessions.
The complexity of your child’s condition will determine how many sessions you’ll need.
Most everyone sees results for their child the very first session and they love it.
What if it doesn’t work for me?”
There’s a 100% money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied that you have learned what you should do, you can get your money back. There’s no risk.
So, if you tried buying devices, ice, rest, and waiting out the crying, chiropractic care, ignoring it, or even other physical therapy without success, you owe it to yourself to try this.
Disclaimer: If insurance is used to pay for treatment, the money-back guarantee does not apply due to strict state and federal insurance laws.
“What’s my next step?”
As you can imagine there are a lot of people wanting to start this program. But due to my limited availability, we only have a few spots available at any given time.
It’s only for those serious about helping their child, fast.
If that is you, click below and schedule your first session.
Remember, this is only for you if you are serious about results.
Call 949-600-5437 now
“What’s included in the First Session?”
The First Session includes:
1) A private one-to-one exam by a licensed physical therapist and pediatric specialist.
2) A detailed explanation of the examination and the cause of your child’s condition
3) A list of exercises and things you can do at home to start helping your child get stronger and relieve pain right away.
*If time permits, you’ll receive a quick treatment as well.
FAQ
“Is it safe?”
Yes. All procedures are FDA cleared and proven safe. I am a licensed Physical Therapist with 18 years of practice in the state of CA. My license # is 25455.
“What if my child was premature?”
It’s safe even if your child has an underlying diagnosis such as chondromalacia or prematurity. You may need more sessions but you will still see results.
“My Child is doing great and I feel relieved about knowing what to do to help him be able to play soccer again. Thank you Lori.” -Paul R, 30
“What’s my next step?”
As you can imagine there are a lot of people wanting to start this program. But due to my limited availability, I only have a few spots available at any given time.
It’s only for those serious about getting rid of the delays, pain, and injuries that result from hypermobility.
Remember, this is only for you if you are serious about results. Call now to get started (949) 600-5437 now.