Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
What is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: MSK Management
If you’ve been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, you understand the daily challenges of living with hypermobile joints, chronic pain, and the constant worry about injuries. The frustration of dislocations, muscle fatigue, and not knowing which exercises are safe can leave you feeling anxious about movement and activity. Don’t let EDS control your life, book your assessment today and discover how our physiotherapy can help you manage symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of inherited connective tissue disorders affecting collagen production. Collagen provides structure and strength to skin, joints, blood vessels, and organs. When it’s faulty or insufficient, joints become hypermobile, skin stretches easily, and tissues are more fragile. This creates instability, chronic pain, and increased injury risk that requires careful management.
The main types affecting musculoskeletal health include:
- Hypermobile EDS (hEDS): the most common type, characterised by joint hypermobility, frequent dislocations, and chronic pain without significant skin involvement
- Classical EDS: featuring very stretchy skin, wide scarring, and moderate joint hypermobility
- Vascular EDS: the most serious type affecting blood vessels and organs, requiring medical monitoring alongside physiotherapy
- Other rare types: including kyphoscoliotic, arthrochalasia, and dermatosparaxis EDS, each with distinct features
Research shows that approximately 1 in 5,000 people have EDS, though hypermobile EDS may be significantly under diagnosed. With appropriate physiotherapy management, people with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome can reduce pain, improve stability, and maintain active lives.
Our Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Treatment Services
Our EDS management focuses on building muscular support around hypermobile joints, improving proprioception, and teaching safe movement patterns.
We assess your joint hypermobility, movement control, and pain patterns to prioritise treatment effectively. Our approach emphasises low-impact strengthening rather than stretching, as EDS joints are already too flexible.
Core stability, shoulder blade control, and hip strengthening form the foundation of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome management. We use sports injury physiotherapy principles adapted for hypermobility, ensuring exercises build strength without overstressing vulnerable joints.
Management strategies include:
- Joint protection: avoiding positions that stress hypermobile joints
- Strengthening programmes: carefully progressed exercises focusing on muscle endurance
- Proprioceptive training: balance and coordination work to improve joint position awareness
- Pain management: hands-on techniques, pacing strategies, and therapeutic modalities
- Fatigue management: energy conservation and activity pacing
Understanding and correcting muscle imbalances is crucial, as some muscles work overtime compensating for joint instability while others become weak.
Your management plan is highly individualised, whether you’re managing daily activities, returning to gentle exercise, or navigating pregnancy with EDS.
“True Physio completely changed my life with hEDS. The strengthening programme reduced my pain significantly and I haven’t had a shoulder dislocation in over a year.” — Sarah M., Sale
Why Choose True Physio?
Expert Physiotherapy Team
All of our Physiotherapists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which means that they fulfil the highest standards of practice required by law. They are also a part of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), demonstrating our commitment to delivering outstanding expertise.
Initial Assessment
At your initial assessment at True Physio, we will find out where your pain comes from and what your goal is before forming a plan to help you achieve that. Our clinicians will take the time to understand your condition, do a detailed assessment, and explain to you the nature of the problem you have. Treatment plans are created with your lifestyle in mind.
Don’t wait to get it treated, begin your EDS treatment with us.
