HYPERMOBILITY PODIATRY IN ALBANY CREEK

Joint hypermobility means your joints move further than expected. Many people are symptom free. Others develop ankle sprains, foot fatigue, forefoot overload and tendons that flare with activity. When hypermobility occurs with wider features like soft stretchy skin, slower tissue healing, widespread pain or a family history, a clinician may consider a hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

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Podiatrists do not diagnose hEDS. Diagnosis is medical and based on a combination of findings. Our role is to recognise patterns, document your lower limb issues, guide the right referral pathway when needed, and treat your foot and leg symptoms so you can keep moving.

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THE BEIGHTON SCORE

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The Beighton Score is a simple nine point screen of generalised joint laxity. It checks:

1. Little finger bends back beyond 90 degrees, left and right

2. Thumb touches the forearm, left and right

3. Elbows hyperextend more than 10 degrees, left and right

4. Knees hyperextend more than 10 degrees, left and right

5. With knees straight, palms flat on the floor

 

A higher total suggests more generalised laxity. Children often score higher than adults and scores tend to reduce with age. The Beighton Score supports the clinical picture but does not diagnose hEDS by itself.

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HOW WE ASSESS YOU

• Detailed history covering pain sites, sprains, fatigue and goals

• Movement screening for foot posture, midfoot control, ankle range and dynamic knee position

• Beighton Score plus simple strength, balance and endurance tests

• Diagnostic ultrasound when indicated to check plantar fascia, bursae and tendons

• Footwear review to see if shoes are helping or making stability harder

• Baseline measures so we can track progress rather than guess

 

SYMPTOMS WE COMMONLY SEE

• Recurrent ankle sprains or a sense of giving way

• Plantar heel pain and plantar fasciitis that keeps returning

• Arch collapse and midfoot fatigue with longer walks or standing

• Forefoot overload including bursitis and Morton’s neuroma irritation

• Tendon pain that lingers longer than expected after activity

• Calf tightness and cramping from overworking stabilisers

• Patellofemoral pain linked to dynamic knee position

• Early shoe breakdown and uneven wear patterns

 

TREATMENT OPTIONS THAT WORK

 

Custom orthotics: Orthoses do not fix hypermobility. They reduce how much control your muscles need to supply on every step. We custom make your orthotics, tailored to your feet and biomechanical requirements.

 

Footwear that holds shape: We guide you to shoes with a firm heel counter, a stable midsole, adequate width and lacing that locks the foot securely.

 

Shockwave therapy for stubborn pain: Radial and focused shockwave can help persistent plantar fasciitis and tendinopathies that are slow to settle. They can also assist with ongoing muscular and joint aches and pains.

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Load management that fits real life: Activity modification to allow pain to settle without stopping you from living your life.

 

When we refer on: If your history suggests a wider connective tissue disorder we work with your GP and, where appropriate, rheumatology or clinical genetics. We also refer when red flags are present such as significant skin fragility, poor wound healing, recurrent dislocations or concerning dizziness episodes.

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BOOK YOUR HYPERMOBILITY ASSESSMENT TODAY

If you are tired of rolling ankles, recurring heel pain or shoes that never feel stable, click the Book Now button to schedule your assessment.