Pain risk for double-jointed teens

Being double-jointed may seem an achievement for a teenager – but it is linked to growing pain, British researchers warned today.

A study found about 5% of teenagers were double-jointed or "hypermobile" at the age of 14.

Within four years many of these reported pain in the shoulders, knees, ankles and feet.

The findings come from a study conducted in Bristol, UK, where thousands of families are involved in long-term health research, known as the Avon Longitudinal Study.

Some 2,900 children took part in the study, reported in Arthritis & Rheumatism. It showed that double-jointed teenagers were twice as likely as others to report joint pain as others at the age of 18.

Researcher Professor Jon Tobias said researchers need to study the long-term effects of the condition in later life.

He said: "Our study provides the first prospective evidence that adolescents who display joint hypermobility are at increased risk of developing musculoskeletal pain as they get older, particularly in the shoulder, knee, ankle or feet."

Hypermobility is a Risk Factor for Musculoskeletal Pain in Adolescence: Findings from a Prospective Cohort Study. Arthritis & Rheumatism February 28, 2013 doi: 10.1002/art.37836).