Discussion
hypermobility, decreased joint stiffness, chronic musculoskeletal pain, pain, joint hypermobility, chronic pain
CHRONIC PAIN, SECONDARY
The results of this pilot study suggest that adolescents with JFM and joint hypermobility show similar clinical pain intensity levels to those with JFM without joint hypermobility; however, those with joint hypermobility had lower levels of overall physical impairment. We found small differences in biomechanics between joint hypermobility groups during a landing and jumping task (e.g., hip [sagittal] angle; hip [frontal and transverse] and knee [transverse] moments). Specifically, those with joint hypermobility may demonstrate greater hip flexion (Fig. Our preliminary findings indicate among adolescents with JFM, those with joint hypermobility may demonstrate decreased joint stiffness during landing, a biomechanical feature that is consistent with excessive joint laxity [This pilot study has several limitations. First, the small sample size may not have provided enough power to detect significant group differences. Additionally, this study was a secondary analysis involving participants with a primary diagnosis of JFM, and results may not generalize to other chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions or those with joint hypermobility without chronic pain at all. In addition, joint hypermobility group classifications were based on adolescents’ Beighton scores, and there is some debate over appropriate clinical cut-off scores to use in pediatric populations [