Prevalence of general hypermobility in 12–13-year-old school children and impact of an intervention against injury and pain incidence

Abstract

The aims of the study were to analyze the prevalence of general hypermobility, judged by Beighton scoring positive in four or more of nine tests, in 12–13-year-old Danish grammar school pupils in Thisted Municipality. Furthermore, we wanted to register the incidence of injuries and pain among the children, and how these incidents interfered with the children's sports activity and eventually to see whether an intervention had any impact on these incidents. The major findings were a 9.4% prevalence (girls: 16.6%, boys 3.3%) of general hypermobility among 364 schoolchildren. Thirty-two of the 34 children with hypermobility agreed to participate in the study and 24 (75%) of those were exposed to injuries within the last 6 months; 18 (56%) were unable to participate in sports activities due to the injuries. Twenty-eight (88%) experienced pain, which only prevented five (16%) from sports activity. The children with hypermobile joints were exposed to an intervention, composed by: information regarding the clinical entity and its possible consequences; instruction in body consciousness and stability training; correction of positions; guidance in work and sports selection and in pain-relieving behavior; and instruction in exercises that may restrict the consequences of injuries. There were significant reductions in the incidence of injuries and pain when comparing pre- and 6-month post-intervention incidences. In future studies, the intervention should be tested in a randomized controlled study and with a long-term follow-up.

• Education
• joint instability
• joint laxity
• physical activity
• physiotherapy
• trauma
• treatment