Medical research charity the Arthritis Research Campaign has announced that it has awarded more than £116,500 to researchers and doctors at the University of Bristol and the Royal Bristol Children’s Hospital to carry out a three-year study aimed at finding out if children who are double-jointed are at increased risk of developing joint and muscle pain during adolescence.

The youngsters are all part of the unique population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), the ‘Children of the 90s’ project, which has followed up to 5,000 children from birth to the age of 17.

Principal investigator Dr Jon Tobias, reader in rheumatology at the University of Bristol, said:

“Children who are doubled-jointed (a condition also known as joint hypermobility) may be at increased risk of developing chronic musculoskeletal pain which can affect their ability to do everyday activities, and also their schooling… Understanding the relationship between joint hypermobility in childhood and the future risk of chronic pain is important, as, if the two are connected, we could then offer these youngsters treatment such as physiotherapy and exercise,”

Dr Tobias is heading the study with a Bristol-based clinical team, including Dr Jacqui Clinch, a paediatric rheumatologist, who is part of a team setting up an adolescent chronic pain clinic at the Royal Bristol Children’s Hospital.

Chronic pain in the joints and muscles affects between 15 and 20 per cent of children and teenagers, and may persist into adulthood. When joint hypermobility causes chronic pain, then it is known as Joint Hypermobility Syndrome (JHS or HMS). HMS has similarities to Ehler-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Hypermobility Type (formerly Type III) and many doctors do not distinguish between the two. Others seem to regard HMS as a milder form of EDS-Hypermobility. EDS is a genetic condition where the collagen in the body isn’t made strong enough. Some people are hypermobile without having any related problems and the incidence of this is higher in children. People with EDS-Hypermobility or HMS often seem to go on to develop Fibromyalgia. Although I am not very hypermobile, I have had issues with my knees partially dislocating (subluxing) since adolescence, but only developed Fibromyalgia when I was 21. Statistically, hypermobility is connected with Fibro. The study will use questionnaires to see if hypermobility during adolescence is an indicator of developing chronic musculoskeletal pain by the age of 17.

You can get more information about EDS at the Ehler-Danlos Foundation and about HMS at the Hypermobility Syndrome Association.