ALPHA FLEX
Hypermobility & hEDS/HSD Care
Delivering Evidence-Informed Multidisciplinary Support to the communities of Newport, Altona, Yarraville, Spotswood, Sunshine, Williamstown, Ascot Vale, and Bacchus Marsh.
Hypermobility Consults
Helping people with Hypermobility, Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD)
Living with hypermobility can be far more than simply being “double-jointed.”
For many people, hypermobility affects every aspect of life – from recurrent injuries and persistent pain to fatigue, dizziness, digestive symptoms and difficulties participating in work, sport or school.
At Alpha Sports Medicine, we understand that hypermobility is a whole-body condition. Rather than treating individual symptoms in isolation, our team works together to understand how your joints, nervous system, muscles and connective tissue interact to influence your health.
Our multidisciplinary team provides comprehensive assessment and rehabilitation for people living with symptomatic hypermobility, Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) across our clinics in Newport, Ascot Vale, Bacchus Marsh and Hawthorn, as well as Australia-wide via Telehealth.
Hypermobility & hEDS/HSD Care
What is hypermobility?
Joint hypermobility simply means a joint moves further than expected.
Many people are naturally flexible without experiencing any problems. However, for others, hypermobility can lead to symptoms including
- Recurrent joint sprains or instability
- Persistent muscle tension
- Frequent injuries
- Joint pain
- Neck and back pain
- Shoulder instability
- Hip pain
- Jaw dysfunction (TMJ)
- Poor balance and coordination
- Fatigue after minimal activity
- Difficulty recovering from exercise
The body often compensates by using larger muscles to create stability, leading to increased fatigue, muscle tightness and overload of tissues that were never designed to perform that role.
Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)
Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is the most common form of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and is an inherited connective tissue disorder.
People living with hEDS often experience widespread joint instability alongside symptoms affecting multiple body systems.
Although there is currently no laboratory or genetic test available for hEDS, diagnosis is based on internationally recognised clinical criteria.
Early identification and appropriate rehabilitation can help improve function, reduce injury frequency and build confidence with movement.
Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD)
Not everyone with symptomatic hypermobility meets the diagnostic criteria for hEDS.
Many people are diagnosed with a Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD), where joint hypermobility is associated with significant pain, instability or functional limitations.
Importantly, people with HSD can experience symptoms just as significant as those with hEDS.
Treatment should always be guided by an individual’s presentation rather than their diagnostic label.
Hypermobility Rarely Exists Alone
Modern research continues to demonstrate that hypermobility commonly overlaps with several other health conditions.
Our practitioners routinely assess for these associated conditions because they can significantly influence rehabilitation, exercise tolerance and recovery.
These include:
Many people with hypermobility experience symptoms relating to the autonomic nervous system, including:
- Dizziness
- Rapid heart rate
- Exercise intolerance
- Temperature regulation difficulties
- Fainting
- Blood pressure fluctuations
- Brain fog
Understanding these symptoms allows us to modify rehabilitation appropriately and work collaboratively with your medical team.
Emerging research has identified increasing overlap between hypermobility and mast cell activation.
Symptoms may include:
- Flushing
- Hives
- Itching
- Food sensitivities
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- Allergic-type reactions
- Sinus symptoms
- Fatigue
Recognising these patterns can help guide conversations with your GP and medical specialists while supporting appropriate rehabilitation planning.
Persistent fatigue is one of the most common concerns reported by people living with hypermobility.
Some individuals may also meet the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS.
Our team understands the importance of balancing activity progression with energy conservation and avoiding post-exertional symptom exacerbation.
Digestive symptoms are extremely common within the hypermobility population.
These may include:
- Constipation
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Reflux
- Food intolerances
- Altered gut motility
Our dietitian works closely with our rehabilitation team to ensure nutritional management complements physical rehabilitation goals.
Lipoedema is a chronic connective tissue condition affecting the distribution of adipose tissue and is increasingly recognised alongside hypermobility.
Symptoms may include:
- Painful fatty tissue
- Easy bruising
- Leg heaviness
- Swelling
- Exercise intolerance
Our team has undertaken additional education in this emerging field to better understand the overlap between hypermobility, connective tissue disorders and lipoedema, allowing us to deliver integrated care alongside appropriate medical management.
Living with recurrent injuries and instability often leads to persistent pain.
Pain in hypermobility is rarely caused by one structure alone.
Instead, it commonly reflects a combination of:
- Joint instability
- Muscular overload
- Nervous system sensitisation
- Reduced exercise tolerance
- Fatigue
- Altered movement patterns
Understanding these contributors helps us develop practical rehabilitation plans that focus on improving function rather than simply chasing pain.
Melbourne Hypermobility Consults
Targeted Care for EDS, HSD, and Hypermobility from Experienced Osteopaths
At Alpha Sports Medicine, we believe successful management of hypermobility requires more than manual therapy or exercise alone.
It requires a team.
Our clinicians work collaboratively to ensure every aspect of your rehabilitation supports the same goals.
Depending on your presentation, your care may involve:
Osteopathy
Our osteopaths assess movement patterns, joint stability, muscular compensation, posture and functional movement to identify why symptoms continue to occur.
Treatment focuses on improving movement quality while supporting long-term rehabilitation.
Exercise Physiology
Exercise is one of the most effective long-term strategies for managing hypermobility.
Our Exercise Physiologists develop progressive strength and conditioning programs designed to improve stability, confidence and function while accounting for fatigue, dysautonomia and exercise tolerance.
Dietetics
Nutrition plays an important role in managing gastrointestinal symptoms, supporting recovery and improving overall health.
Our dietitian works closely with the rehabilitation team to assist individuals experiencing IBS, food intolerances and nutrition-related concerns commonly seen alongside hypermobility.
A Team Trained in Hypermobility
The ALPHA Osteo difference
Our hypermobility service has been developed under the clinical leadership of Dr Ashton Wilson, Osteopath and educator with extensive experience managing hypermobility and educating healthcare professionals throughout Australia.
To ensure consistency of care across every clinic, our Osteopaths, Exercise Physiologists and Dietitian have completed additional education in hypermobility beyond their university qualifications.
This includes:
- Hypermobility Academy Level 1
- Hypermobility Academy Level 2
- International EDS ECHO Program
- International conferences focused on Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders
- Australian POTS Conference
- Continuing education in dysautonomia, mast cell activation and persistent pain
- Further professional development in the rapidly emerging field of lipoedema
Our shared education allows every member of the team to speak the same clinical language, making collaborative care seamless for our patients.
Working with your Healthcare Team
Managing hypermobility often requires input from multiple healthcare professionals.
We regularly communicate and collaborate with:
- General Practitioners
- Rheumatologists
- Cardiologists
- Geneticists
- Immunologists
- Gastroenterologists
- Pain Physicians
- Psychologists
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Pelvic Health Physiotherapists
- Other allied health professionals involved in your care
Our goal is to ensure everyone involved understands your rehabilitation plan and is working towards the same outcomes.
Hypermobility Consults Melbourne
Where we can help
Our team provides hypermobility assessment and rehabilitation at:
- Newport
- Ascot Vale
- Bacchus Marsh
- Hawthorn
- Australia-wide via Telehealth
Whether you have recently been diagnosed, are seeking answers for longstanding symptoms, or want guidance returning to work, sport or everyday activities, our team is here to help.
Please note: In Australia, only a GP or specialist Doctor can officially diagnose hEDS or HSD. Our team in Allied Health can offer a working diagnosis based on your presentation, and point you in the right direction via appropriate referral systems to get an official diagnosis should you seek one.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hypermobility & hEDS/HSD Care
A hypermobility consult is a session — in person or via telehealth — where you meet with an experienced practitioner to discuss your symptoms, undergo an assessment, and begin developing a personalised treatment plan.
If you have been diagnosed with hEDS or HSD, or you experience symptoms such as joint pain, recurrent sprains, or instability, one of our practitioners can help assess and manage your condition.
In Australia, only a GP or specialist doctor (such as a geneticist, EDS-informed rheumatologist, or cardiologist) can officially diagnose hEDS or HSD. Our allied health team can offer a working diagnosis based on your presentation and, where appropriate, refer you to the right specialist to pursue a formal diagnosis.
An online consult offers the same standard of assessment and personalised care as an in-person session, with the convenience of joining from home via video call. Some elements of physical assessment are better suited to in-person visits, and your practitioner will guide you on what’s right for your situation.
All you need is a stable internet connection and a device with a camera. We’ll guide you through the process from booking to session.
Hypermobility simply means your joints move further than average. Many people are naturally flexible and never experience symptoms.
Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is a hereditary connective tissue disorder where joint hypermobility is accompanied by symptoms such as joint instability, chronic pain, fatigue and involvement of other body systems. Diagnosis is made using internationally recognised clinical criteria.
Not everyone with symptomatic hypermobility has hEDS, which is why many people receive a diagnosis of Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD).
Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) describes people who have symptomatic joint hypermobility but do not meet the full diagnostic criteria for Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
People with HSD can experience pain, recurrent injuries, fatigue and disability that is just as significant as those diagnosed with hEDS. Treatment should always be guided by symptoms and function rather than the diagnosis alone.
An osteopath can assess how your body moves, identify areas of instability and muscular compensation, and help develop a rehabilitation plan that focuses on improving movement quality and function.
At Alpha Sports Medicine, osteopathy is only one part of the management process. We combine hands-on treatment with education, strength-based rehabilitation and collaboration with our Exercise Physiologists and Dietitian to support long-term outcomes.
There is no single exercise program that suits everyone with hypermobility.
Most rehabilitation programs focus on:
- Progressive strength training
- Deep stabilising muscle activation
- Balance and proprioception
- Functional movement retraining
- Improving load tolerance
- Cardiovascular conditioning where appropriate
Exercises should be individualised based on your symptoms, goals and any associated conditions such as dysautonomia or chronic fatigue.
For many people, strength training is one of the most effective long-term management strategies.
Appropriately prescribed resistance training can help improve joint stability, muscle strength, confidence with movement and overall function.
The key is ensuring exercises are progressed appropriately and account for joint instability, fatigue and recovery. We recognise everybody is different, and there is no “one size fits all” approach, each hypermobile person will require an individual structured program to best support their needs.
Yes.
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms reported by people living with hypermobility.
Fatigue may result from several contributing factors including:
- Muscles working harder to stabilise joints
- Dysautonomia
- Poor sleep quality
- Chronic pain
- Deconditioning
- Mast cell activation
- Co-existing conditions such as ME/CFS
Understanding the cause of fatigue helps determine the most appropriate rehabilitation approach.
Many people with hypermobility also experience autonomic nervous system dysfunction, including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
Common symptoms include:
- Dizziness
- Racing heart rate
- Light-headedness
- Exercise intolerance
- Fainting
- Brain fog
- Difficulty standing for long periods
Exercise programs often need to be modified to improve exercise tolerance while avoiding symptom flare-ups.
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a condition where mast cells release inflammatory chemicals inappropriately.
Symptoms may include:
- Flushing
- Hives
- Itching
- Food sensitivities
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- Allergic-type reactions
- Fatigue
- Headaches
Research continues to explore the overlap between hypermobility, dysautonomia and mast cell activation, and many people experience features of all three conditions.
Yes.
Many people with hypermobility experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as:
- Constipation
- Bloating
- Reflux
- Abdominal pain
- Food intolerances
- Altered gut motility
Our multidisciplinary team includes a dietitian who works alongside our rehabilitation clinicians to help manage these symptoms as part of an overall treatment plan.
Research has identified an increasing overlap between hypermobility and lipoedema.
Both conditions affect connective tissue and can contribute to pain, fatigue, swelling and reduced exercise tolerance.
Recognising both conditions allows rehabilitation programs to be modified appropriately and helps ensure patients receive the most appropriate referrals and management.
No.
Many people attend because they suspect they may have hypermobility or have experienced years of recurrent injuries, fatigue or unexplained pain.
Our team can assess your movement, identify features consistent with symptomatic hypermobility and communicate with your GP if further medical assessment or referral is appropriate. It’s important to note, in Australia only a GP or Specialist Doctor can clinically diagnose hEDS or HSD, our team in Allied Health can support your needs and get you on the right track, but we cannot offer a formal diagnosis.
Hypermobility often runs in families.
Many people diagnosed with hEDS or HSD report parents, siblings or children who also demonstrate increased flexibility, recurrent injuries or similar symptoms.
Yes.
We provide Telehealth consultations Australia-wide for people living with hypermobility, Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD).
Telehealth appointments are particularly helpful for people living in rural or regional areas, those experiencing significant fatigue, or individuals who have difficulty travelling due to pain or dysautonomia.
Accordion ContentOur multidisciplinary hypermobility team consults from:
- Newport
- Ascot Vale
- Bacchus Marsh
- Hawthorn
We also provide Australia-wide Telehealth consultations.
Our team has developed extensive expertise in the assessment and rehabilitation of hypermobility and related conditions.
Every clinician involved in our hypermobility service has completed additional professional education beyond their university qualification, including the EDS ECHO Program, Hypermobility Academy Levels 1 and 2, international conferences focused on hypermobility and connective tissue disorders, and continuing education in dysautonomia, mast cell activation, chronic pain and lipoedema.
Most importantly, our Osteopaths, Exercise Physiologists and Dietitian work together as one team, ensuring your rehabilitation plan is coordinated, evidence-informed and focused on helping you move with greater confidence.
If you’re living with hypermobility, Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) or a Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD), our experienced multidisciplinary team can work with you to develop an individualised plan that supports your goals.
We believe that understanding your body is the first step towards improving confidence, function and quality of life.