Hypermobile joints are common in the general population and often present as joints with additional flexibility. Many people with hypermobility do not experience any significant difficulties; in fact in many situations (i.e. sportspeople, dancers etc.) hypermobility can have positive advantages. However some people experience difficulties with symptoms which are understood to be related to being hypermobile; commonly known as Joint Hypermobility Syndrome (JHS) or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type III (hEDS).
It can sometimes be unhelpful for a young person to have the label of EDS III because the significant risks associated with the other forms of EDS can mistakenly be assumed to also apply to this group. For this reason, the preferred term to use is Joint Hypermobility Syndrome (JHS).
