The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of inherited connective tissue disorders that affect the body’s structural support system. Most EDS subtypes have identified genetic variants affecting collagen or related connective tissue proteins; hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is currently the only subtype without a known genetic marker.
Each subtype has distinct clinical features, such as differences in skin fragility, joint hypermobility, vascular risk, or tissue healing, but all share some degree of connective tissue dysfunction. Common features across the EDS spectrum include joint hypermobility (to varying degrees), joint instability, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and fragile or altered connective tissues affecting multiple body systems.