Our Family’s Experience of Hypermobility
Hypermobility is common in many neurodivergent people. It means joints move beyond the typical range and can feel unstable. This can make sitting upright, writing, or holding the body in one position difficult. What sometimes looks like fidgeting, poor posture, or avoidance may actually be the body trying to find stability. With the right understanding and simple accommodations, participation in school, work, and everyday life can improve significantly.
A Real Moment That Changed Our Understanding
This became very real for our family during a conversation about school. My daughter was being described as “avoiding” floor time activities in class. It was being labelled as non-compliance because she wouldn’t sit with the other children. When we slowed down and talked about it together, she explained something very simple. She said it felt like her body couldn’t hold itself up and she just wanted to flop over. Once we understood this, the solution was surprisingly simple. The school introduced a supported floor chair so she had something to lean against. Almost immediately she was able to join floor time activities comfortably. Nothing about her behaviour had changed. Her body just needed support.
What Is Hypermobility
Hypermobility means joints move beyond the typical range of motion. Some people call this being “double jointed”, but for many people it is more complex. Hypermobility happens when connective tissue is more flexible than usual, which can make joints less stable. This can lead to muscle fatigue, joint pain, difficulty maintaining posture, poor endurance when sitting or standing, and the need to constantly change position. Hypermobility is often seen alongside neurodivergence, including autism and ADHD.
Why It Can Affect Learning and Focus
When joints are unstable, the body has to work harder just to stay upright. That extra effort can cause physical fatigue, discomfort, difficulty concentrating, and constant movement to find stability. What adults sometimes see as fidgeting, slouching, restlessness, or “not sitting properly” may actually be the body trying to stabilise itself.
What It Looks Like in Our Family
Once we recognised hypermobility, we started seeing it everywhere. For me, sitting still for long periods is uncomfortable. I often sit with one leg on the chair and one on the floor, rest my chin on my hand for stability, lean on posts or walls when standing, and shift my weight side to side when seated. Flying is particularly difficult because you are expected to stay in one position for so long. My sons are similar. When they are doing homework on the lounge they are rarely sitting upright. You might see them slouched sideways, folded into the corner of the couch, or even upside down hanging off the lounge while still completing their work. It can look chaotic from the outside, but these positions often help their bodies feel supported enough to focus.
Hypermobility and Handwriting
Hypermobility can also affect fine motor skills. My daughter’s finger joints hyperextend significantly, which makes holding a pencil the “correct” way uncomfortable. Helpful adjustments include pencil grips, allowing alternative pencil holds, reducing pressure on handwriting tasks, and using typing when possible. Sometimes what looks like “doing it wrong” is actually the body adapting. ✏️
Helpful Accommodations at School
Small changes can make a big difference. Examples include supported floor seating, wobble cushions or flexible seating, footrests under desks, movement breaks, allowing different sitting positions, pencil grips or adaptive writing tools, and access to typing for longer tasks. The goal is not perfect posture. The goal is support and stability.
Helpful Accommodations at Work
Adults with hypermobility may also need flexibility. Helpful adjustments can include ergonomic chairs, sit–stand desks, footrests, opportunities to move regularly, flexible seating positions, and the ability to shift posture frequently. Being able to move and adjust position often helps maintain focus and comfort.
Why Understanding Matters
When hypermobility is not recognised, behaviours can be misunderstood. What looks like avoidance, fidgeting, poor posture, or disengagement may actually be physical discomfort or fatigue. Once the body is supported, participation often improves quickly. My daughter’s floor chair is a perfect example. One simple accommodation removed a barrier and allowed her to fully join in.
Hypermobility is common in neurodivergent people and can affect posture, endurance, handwriting and focus. Key things to remember are that the body may struggle to maintain stability, constant movement can be a form of self support, behaviours are often misunderstood, and small accommodations can make a big difference. Sometimes the solution is not changing the behaviour. Sometimes the solution is simply supporting the body.
By Kylie Gardner
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