Generalized joint hypermobility and perceived harmfulness in healthy adolescents; impact on muscle strength, motor performance and physical activity level

ABSTRACT

Objective: The first aim of this study was to determine whether adolescents with asymptomatic Generalized Joint Hypermobility (GJH) have a lower level of physical functioning (physical activity level, muscle strength and performance) compared to non-hypermobile controls. Secondly, to evaluate whether the negative impact of perceived harmfulness on physical functioning was more pronounced in adolescents with asymptomatic GJH.

Methods: Cross-sectional study. Sixty-two healthy adolescents (mean age 16.8, range 12–21) participated. Hypermobility (Beighton score), perceived harmfulness (PHODA-youth) and muscle strength (dynamometry), motor performance (Single-Leg-Hop-for-Distance) and physical activity level (PAL) (accelerometry) were measured. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to study differences in physical functioning and perceived harmfulness between asymptomatic GJH and non-hypermobile controls.

Results: Asymptomatic GJH was associated with increased knee extensor muscle strength (peak torque/body weight; PT/BW), controlled for age and gender (dominant leg; ß = 0.29; p = .02). No other associations between asymptomatic GJH and muscle strength, motor performance and PAL were found. Perceived harmfulness was not more pronounced in adolescents with asymptomatic GJH.

Conclusions: Adolescents with asymptomatic GJH had increased knee extensor muscle strength compared to non-hypermobile controls. No other differences in the level of physical functioning was found and the negative impact of perceived harmfulness was not more pronounced in adolescents with asymptomatic GJH.

KEYWORDS:

• Hypermobility
• adolescents
• perceived harmfulness
• muscle strength
• motor performance
• physical activity level

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the participating adolescents, Richard Geers, Ing. for processing the raw data of the accelerometer data and Tom Hameleers for his assistance on recruiting and measuring the adolescents.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Adelante;Fonds Nuts Ohra;Stichting Vooruit.