Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) & Hypermobility in Knoxville
Clinical Lead for EDS & Hypermobility Care in Knoxville, TN
Maddy Cline, PT, DPT
Our Hypermobility & EDS Physical Therapy Program in Knoxville is designed to address the unique challenges faced by individuals with joint hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Treatment focuses on controlled strengthening, joint stabilization, proprioception, and movement education, so patients can stay active without putting their joints at risk.
Maddy Cline, PT, DPT leads our Hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) program. She specializes in hypermobility and EDS and serves as the main expert for this area of care, supported by ongoing hypermobility-related treatment and education across our team.
What Is Ehlers-Danlos & Hypermobility Syndrome (EDS) in Knoxville, TN?
Hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) affect the body’s connective tissues, which provide stability and support to joints, muscles, and ligaments. When these tissues are overly flexible, joints can move beyond their normal range, leading to pain, instability, and frequent injuries.
Here’s how hypermobility and EDS impact the body:
- Joint Instability: Loose connective tissue can cause joints to feel unstable, leading to frequent sprains, subluxations, or dislocations that interfere with daily activities.
- Chronic Pain & Fatigue: Ongoing joint stress and muscle overcompensation often result in widespread pain and fatigue, making it difficult to stay active or tolerate exercise.
- System-Wide Effects: EDS can affect more than just joints, sometimes impacting the skin, nervous system, and overall energy levels, which contributes to complex and long-lasting symptoms.
Understanding hypermobility and EDS is the first step toward effective, specialized care that supports long-term joint health and improved quality of life.
Signs You May Need a Hypermobility Specialist in Knoxville
People with hypermobility or EDS may experience joint pain, frequent sprains or dislocations, muscle tightness, headaches, poor balance, fatigue, and difficulty tolerating exercise. Because symptoms vary widely from person to person, a highly individualized and specialized treatment approach is essential.
Traditional physical therapy often focuses on stretching and generalized strengthening, which can actually worsen symptoms for hypermobile individuals. Specialized care is critical to improve joint stability without overstretching, reduce pain, and help patients feel safer and more confident in their movement. Our program is designed specifically for the unique needs of hypermobile and EDS patients, and complements other services we offer like orthopedic therapy and dry needling for patients dealing with related pain.
Our Approach to EDS and Hypermobility Treatment
Treatment focuses on controlled strengthening, joint stabilization, proprioception (body awareness), and movement education to improve function while protecting vulnerable joints. Rather than emphasizing stretching or aggressive exercise, our approach prioritizes stability, control, and safe movement patterns.
Each treatment plan is carefully and gradually progressed based on the individual’s symptoms, tolerance, and goals. This thoughtful progression helps minimize flare-ups, reduce pain, and build long-term resilience.
Education is a critical component of care. Patients learn how hypermobility affects their bodies, how to recognize early signs of overuse or instability, and how to modify daily activities to protect their joints. By combining hands-on treatment with education and self-management strategies, our program empowers patients to move with greater confidence and manage symptoms both in and out of the clinic. Many hypermobile patients also deal with related issues such as dizziness and vertigo or neck pain, which our team treats alongside their EDS care.
Exercise and Strength Training for EDS and Hypermobility in Knoxville
Exercise is one of the most effective tools for managing hypermobility and EDS, but it has to be approached carefully. Generic strength programs or unsupervised stretching can aggravate joint instability instead of improving it.
Our team builds a progressive, EDS-informed strength training plan that prioritizes joint control over range of motion, focusing on the stabilizing muscles around the shoulders, hips, knees, and spine. Patients are guided through low-impact strengthening, proprioception drills, and safe movement patterns they can continue at home, so they can stay active without triggering flare-ups or new injuries. Patients who are also active in sports often benefit from pairing this program with our sports rehab services.
Is exercise safe with EDS or hypermobility? Yes, when it’s guided correctly. Exercise can actually improve joint stability and reduce pain in people with EDS or hypermobility, but the wrong type of exercise, especially aggressive stretching or high-impact training, can make symptoms worse. A hypermobility-informed physical therapist will build a plan around controlled strengthening rather than flexibility work.
Hypermobility and EDS Physical Therapy Near Knoxville
If you’re searching for an EDS physical therapist or hypermobility specialist near Knoxville, our team at Simply Physio offers a dedicated, specialized program rather than a generalized approach. We work with patients locally and through telehealth for ongoing education and home program check-ins. Schedule an appointment or contact us to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does physical therapy help with hypermobility or EDS?
Physical therapy strengthens muscles around the joints, improves stability, enhances balance and proprioception, and teaches safe movement strategies. These approaches reduce pain, prevent injuries, and help patients feel more confident in daily activities.
Is it safe to exercise with hypermobility or EDS?
Yes, when it is guided by a therapist experienced in hypermobility and EDS. Exercises and treatments are carefully tailored to avoid overstretching or stressing the joints while still promoting strength and function.
What causes hypermobility?
Hypermobility happens when connective tissue, including ligaments and tendons, is more flexible than average, allowing joints to move beyond a normal range. It can be genetic, linked to a connective tissue disorder like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, or simply a trait some people are born with.
What causes Ehlers-Danlos syndrome?
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is caused by genetic changes that affect how the body produces collagen, a key protein in connective tissue. Because collagen supports skin, joints, and blood vessels, these changes lead to joint hypermobility, skin that bruises or stretches easily, and in some types, more serious vascular or structural issues.
What is joint hypermobility syndrome?
Joint hypermobility syndrome, now often called hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD), describes joint hypermobility that comes with symptoms like pain, instability, or frequent injury, rather than flexibility alone. It’s diagnosed when hypermobility is causing real functional problems but doesn’t meet the full criteria for EDS.
How common is Ehlers-Danlos syndrome?
Hypermobile EDS, the most common type, is estimated to affect roughly 1 in 5,000 people, though many cases go undiagnosed for years because symptoms are often mistaken for general joint pain or unrelated conditions.
Who can diagnose Ehlers-Danlos syndrome?
EDS is typically diagnosed by a physician, often a geneticist, rheumatologist, or physiatrist familiar with connective tissue disorders. While a physical therapist can’t formally diagnose EDS, we frequently work with patients who are mid-diagnosis or already diagnosed, and we coordinate care with their physician.
Schedule an Appointment
If you’re searching for an EDS physical therapist or hypermobility specialist near Knoxville, our team at Simply Physio offers a dedicated, specialized program rather than a generalized approach. We work with patients locally and through telehealth for ongoing education and home program check-ins. Schedule an appointment or contact us to get started.