Let’s talk about being bendy.
For some people, hypermobility is purely a fun party trick, or they’re “just more bendy” than others. They could drop into a split as a kid, crush ballet/gymnastics, have no issues getting into weird positions for sports or weightlifting — and that was the end of the story.
But for others, hypermobility comes with… complications.
Chronic pain.
Fatigue that makes no sense.
Migraines.
GI symptoms no one can explain.
Dizziness or a racing heartbeat.
Frequent sprains or joint instability.
Feeling “dramatic” for asking for help.
And the especially frustrating one: being told “everything looks normal” by providers who don’t actually have an answer.
That second group deserves a closer look, and it’s who we’re focusing on in this week’s episode.
In this episode of The Millennial Body Image Project, I sat down with dietitian Cheryl Harris to talk about hypermobility and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). What it is, why so many people go undiagnosed for decades, and why symptoms often get brushed off as anxiety, stress, or random “unrelated” issues.
One of the most interesting things we covered: the difference between being “just bendy” and having a connective tissue condition that affects multiple body systems — including digestion, autonomic function (like POTS), and immune responses (like mast cell activation).
A few big takeaways from our conversation:
• Not all hypermobility is benign
• Symptoms often don’t show up until later in life
• The Beighton scale doesn’t tell the whole story (it misses hips, shoulders, feet, etc.)
• hEDS has no genetic test — which adds to delayed diagnosis
• Family history is often there, but undiagnosed
• Women and neurodivergent folks are frequently dismissed or misdiagnosed
You don’t need to have dramatic dislocations to have hEDS. And if you’ve ever felt like your symptoms live in a dozen different departments of the body, there might actually be a unifying explanation — and it’s not in your head.
If this topic resonates, feels personal, or just piques your curiosity, I think you’ll love this episode.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation here →
And if you’re someone living with chronic symptoms, hypermobility, or a long list of “mystery” symptoms, I hope this episode feels validating — and helps connect a few dots.
Cheat sheet for the episode:
- EDS = ehlers danlos syndrome
- HSD = hypermobility spectrum disorder
- hEDS = hypermobile EDS
- POTS = post orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
Find our guest, Cheryl Harris – https://www.harriswholehealth.com/
