Hypermobility is one of those things that often flies under the radar in sport, until it doesn’t. You’ll hear things like “She’s just really flexible,” or “He’s double-jointed,” and it’s often said as a compliment. And in some cases, that extra range can be an advantage. But if you’re a coach, athlete, or parent of an athlete dealing with hypermobility, you’ll know that it’s a double-edged sword.
As a strength and conditioning coach, I’ve worked with plenty of athletes across different sports who fall somewhere on the hypermobility spectrum. Whether it’s a young gymnast, a netballer, or a rugby player with oddly mobile shoulders, understanding how to manage hypermobility can make all the difference. Not just for performance, but for long-term health and consistency in training.
What is Hypermobility?
In simple terms, hypermobility means having more range of motion (ROM) in the joints than what’s considered average. Some people are born with more elastic connective tissue, which gives them this extra range. It can be general (across multiple joints) or isolated to specific areas.
A lot of people can be hypermobile and never have an issue. But when you pair that joint laxity with high training loads, high-impact sports, or strength deficits, that’s where problems can arise. Especially around joint stability, injury risk, and fatigue.
The Challenges of Hypermobility
Here’s what I’ve commonly seen in hypermobile athletes:
- Joint Instability: They often lack passive and active stability in key joints like shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles.
- Injury Prone: Think rolling ankles, recurring subluxations, joint pain, or chronic tendon issues.
- Poor Proprioception: They may struggle with body awareness. Think wobbly landings, slow reaction to movement changes, or trouble holding joint positions.
- Fatigue and Overuse: Because their stabiliser muscles are constantly working to hold everything together, they often get fatigued more quickly.
- Technique Breakdown Under Load: They can look strong in the gym at bodyweight, but under a bar or in dynamic sport scenarios, things can get messy.
Managing Hypermobility in Training: What Actually Works
There’s no one-size-fits-all plan, but here are key strategies I use when working with hypermobile athletes.
1. Prioritise Control Over Range
We don’t need to stretch them more. Trust me, they’ve got enough ROM. What we want is control through the range they already have.
Go-to strategies:
- Tempo training (slow eccentrics and isometrics)
- Closed-chain movements for joint feedback like bear crawls, quadruped holds, and split squats
- Movement patterning drills to reinforce control, such as controlled step-downs and single-leg balance reaches
2. Build Strength Around Joints, Especially in End-Range
We want to bulletproof those joints, especially where they tend to collapse or hyperextend.
Focus areas:
- End-range strengthening like terminal knee extensions and banded shoulder stabilisation work
- Glutes, core and upperbody pushing/pulling strength
- Grip strength is also a marker of shoulder function, so can be useful to train it
3. Proprioception is King
These athletes often lack accurate body awareness. Improving proprioception can be a game changer for both performance and injury prevention.
Tools to use:
- Balance boards, BOSUs, and soft surfaces
- Eyes-closed drills starting basic like single-leg holds or hand-supported exercises
- External feedback like bands, mirrors, or video
4. Modify Load & Volume Based on Fatigue Signs
Practical tips:
- Split sessions with more frequent rest days
5. Educate the Athlete
This is massive. A lot of hypermobile athletes grow up thinking they’re fragile or just injury prone. Flip the narrative.
Help them understand that they’re not broken. They just need a slightly different approach to training. Once they feel confident in how to move and know why they’re doing what they’re doing, things start to click.
When to Refer Out
There’s a difference between someone who’s just bendy and someone with a connective tissue disorder like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). If you see signs like skin hyper-elasticity, frequent dislocations, or widespread pain, that’s a red flag. Collaborate with physios, doctors, or specialists when needed. The S&C coach is just one piece of the puzzle.
