How Physical Therapy for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Can Unlock a Pain Free Life

Physical therapy is a kind of rehab that can be extremely helpful for people coping with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS is a hereditary disease that affects the connective tissue in the body. This can lead to many symptoms, including joint hypermobility, persistent pain, and skin fragility.

Physical therapy can help individuals with EDS in many ways. Physical therapy in general can be very helpful for people with pain almost anywhere in the body, including the back, neck, shoulders, or knees. But it is especially important for people with EDS, as their joints are often hypermobile and susceptible to damage or dislocation.

Physical therapy can assist in enhancing your motion and versatility. EDS pain can vary all over the spectrum. Some people report feeling as if they’ve been subjected to a meat tenderizer on a daily basis. This can make it very difficult to perform daily hobbies, activities, and even your job. Physical therapy can assist in increasing versatility, making it much easier to move and improving overall quality of life.

Another benefit of Physical therapy for people with EDS is that it can assist in managing pain. EDS can trigger persistent discomfort, which can be devastating and considerably impact your lifestyle. Physical therapy can help reduce discomfort by addressing the underlying causes, such as muscle weakness or tightness, and by teaching you how to manage your pain through a variety of different techniques.

Physical therapy can likewise assist in enhancing balance and coordination. EDS can impact proprioception, which is the body’s capability to sense where it is in space. This can make it hard to preserve balance and increase the danger of falling. Physical therapy can assist in enhancing proprioception and coordination, making it simpler to move and decreasing the threat of injury.

Physical therapy can likewise assist people with EDS to improve their general fitness and endurance. EDS can make it challenging to take part in exercise, as it can cause you pain and make you feel tired. The same can be said for any active hobbies like biking, dancing, etc… Physical therapy can help individuals gradually increase their exercise levels, which can help to improve overall physical fitness and endurance.

Moreover, PT can help enhance your posture and body mechanics. People with EDS might tend to embrace poor postures and movements due to joint hypermobility and muscle weakness. It’s sometimes easier to just go along with the thing that causes less pain. But Physical therapy can assist in training you on the correct way to move your body. This can reduce stress on the joints and improve overall function.

Another advantage of physical therapy for individuals with EDS is that it can help to improve respiratory function. Some individuals with EDS might experience chest wall deformities or lung problems, which can impact breathing. Physical therapy can help to enhance lung function and breathing efficiency through methods such as breathing exercises and relaxation techniques.

Physical therapy can assist in enhancing physical function and reducing discomfort, which can help individuals to feel better and participate (to a much greater extent) in their day-to-day activities. 

It is imperative to remember that treatment alone may not be enough to handle all symptoms of EDS. It is important to have a team of doctors that work together to treat all parts of your condition.  Sometime PT can do everything you need, but other times it needs to be done in combination with other treatments. Physical therapy should ALWAYS be customized to your specific needs and goals and you should be treated by a therapist that has experience dealing with people with EDS.

Physical therapy can be a highly effective treatment for people with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. By dealing with problems such as joint stability, muscle strength, range of motion, versatility, pain management, balance, coordination, and endurance, physical therapy can assist individuals with EDS to enhance their general lifestyle. 

If you’re interested in a free consultation with one of our physical therapists please click below and apply for a discovery session! We’d love to talk to you and see if we’re a good fit. Just because you have EDS, it doesn’t have to define your life!