Phone: (08) 6156 9363 – Mobile Physiotherapy Service Across the Perth Metro Area
Phone: (08) 6156 9363 – Mobile Physiotherapy Service Across the Perth Metro Area
01/09/2026
Hello and welcome back to our blog, Therapy WA Talks.
Here on our blog, we give an insight into what it is we at Therapy WA do, shining a spotlight on all thing’s physiotherapy, the happenings of our therapists and giving our amazing clients a voice.
Therapy WA is a WA owned and ran mobile physiotherapy service servicing the Perth Metro area. Our focus is on making physiotherapy accessible to all, with a patient-centred, functional, and fun approach.
When you hear the word hypermobility, you might think of someone who is simply very flexible or “double-jointed”.
But for some people, hypermobility can affect much more than flexibility.
People with symptomatic joint hypermobility may experience joint pain, instability or subluxations, fatigue and difficulty controlling their movements. For some people, hypermobility forms part of Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS).
Importantly, not everyone who is hypermobile has HSD or hEDS. Some people have very flexible joints and experience no symptoms at all.
So, where does physiotherapy fit in?
When a joint has a larger-than-usual range of movement, the muscles surrounding it have an important role in providing support and control.
For someone with hypermobility, exercise will often focus on improving strength, stability and control of movement.
Exercises may initially be performed in comfortable and controlled ranges before gradually progressing as the person’s strength and confidence improve.
The aim isn’t to make the body less flexible. Instead, we want to help the body become stronger and more controlled within the movement it already has.
Proprioception is our body’s ability to recognise where our joints are positioned and how they are moving without needing to look at them.
This can be affected in people with hypermobility.
Imagine having a joint that moves through a large range but not always having a clear sense of where it is within that range. This can make movement feel less controlled and may contribute to feelings of instability.
Physiotherapy can incorporate exercises that challenge balance, coordination, joint position awareness and movement control.
Over time, the goal is to help someone feel more confident and in control of their body during everyday activities.
Exercise is an important part of managing symptomatic hypermobility, but there isn’t one exercise program that works for everyone.
For someone experiencing significant pain, fatigue or deconditioning, starting with a traditional gym program may simply be too much.
A physiotherapist can help establish an appropriate starting point and gradually progress from there.
This might include:
The important part is that exercise is individualised and graded.
Starting at an achievable level and gradually building capacity can be much more useful than jumping into a difficult program and repeatedly experiencing flare-ups.
For some people with HSD or hEDS, symptoms aren’t limited to their joints.
Fatigue can have a significant impact on work, exercise, social activities and everyday life. Some people may also experience symptoms affecting other body systems e.g. Gastro-intestinal.
This means Physiotherapy needs to look at the whole person, rather than simply treating one painful joint at a time.
Management might include education around activity, pacing, joint protection, movement strategies, appropriate strengthening and adapting activities or environments where needed.
For someone who experiences a cycle of doing lots on a good day and then needing several days to recover, finding a more sustainable level of activity can be an important part of building capacity over time.
Repeated pain, injuries, subluxations or feelings of instability can understandably change the way someone moves.
You might begin avoiding particular movements, exercise or activities because you’re worried about causing pain or injuring yourself.
Physiotherapy can provide a safe environment to gradually practise movement and build confidence again.
The goal will look different for everyone.
It might be:
Ultimately, physiotherapy will focus on the activities that are meaningful to the individual.
Hypermobility exists on a spectrum.
For one person, being hypermobile may have very little impact on their life. For another, pain, fatigue, instability and other symptoms may significantly affect their day-to-day function.
This is why there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” physiotherapy program for HSD or hEDS.
At Therapy WA, our Physiotherapists take an individualised approach, working with clients to develop strategies and exercise programs based on their symptoms, abilities and goals.
With the right starting point and gradual progression, Physiotherapy can help people with hypermobility build strength, control, confidence and capacity for the activities that matter to them.
Please reach out if you have any questions info@therapywa.com.au
Take care and talk soon.
