Hypermobility can cause pain because joints move beyond their optimal range of stability, which places excess stress on ligaments, tendons, and surrounding soft tissues. This leads to micro-injury, repetitive strain, and muscle overuse as the body works harder to stabilize loose joints. Over time, this can result in chronic musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and increased sensitivity of the pain system.
Pain is extremely common in clinically significant hypermobility. Most people with symptomatic hypermobility spectrum disorders or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome report persistent or recurrent pain, often beginning in childhood or adolescence and becoming chronic in adulthood.