This is going to be an evolving list of websites, youtube videos and other resources that I want to share with my clients who have symptoms of chronic pain and/or hypermobility.

Some handy definitions to get us started:

Chronic Pain is when pain lasts longer than 3 months. Sometimes, this happens because the brain misreads normal signs as danger, and sends pain signals to protect you, even when they aren't needed. There are 2 types of chronic pain: primary and secondary.

Chronic primary pain occurs when: pain continues after the body has completely healed , the pain has no identifiable cause

Chronic secondary pain occurs together with underlying diseases or health issues, such as: arthritis, cancer, headache, fibromyalgia, post-surgical pain, pain in the face, mouth and jaw, pain in the bones, joints and muscles

The World Health Organization recognizes chronic pain as a disease in its own right and not just a symptom of something else.

Central Sensitization is a condition where the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) becomes hyper-reactive, amplifying pain and sensory signals even without active tissue or nerve damage.

Joint hypermobility means that a person’s joints have a greater range of motion than is expected or usual. Some people have joint hypermobility that does not cause them pain or other issues. However, some people with joint hypermobility also have joint instability. Joint instability occurs when the bones of a joint aren’t held in place securely. This can lead to joint subluxations, dislocations, sprains, and other injuries. Joint instability can cause both acute and chronic pain and interfere with daily life.   

Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of 13 heritable connective tissue disorders. The conditions are caused by genetic changes that affect connective tissue. Each type of EDS has its own set of features with distinct diagnostic criteria. Some features are seen across all types of EDS, including joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility.

Although joint hypermobility is observed across all types of EDS, not everyone with a type of EDS has joint hypermobility.

Proprioception‍ ‍is your body's ability to sense its own position, movement, and force in space.

Postural muscles (also known as tonic muscles) are the body's primary anti-gravity muscles responsible for maintaining alignment and stability. Because they must work continuously throughout the day without tiring, these muscles consist predominantly of Type 1 (slow twitch) muscle fibres.