 If you've spent any time reading about hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), you've probably heard it described as a connective tissue disorder. The usual explanation is that the body's connective tissues are built a little differently, leading to more flexible joints, frequent injuries, chronic pain and instability. But many people living with hEDS know that's only part of the story. What about the dizziness? The fatigue? The brain fog? The gut problems? The allergies, mast cell issues, POTS, slow recovery from illness, and the way symptoms seem to flare after stress or infection? A recently published research paper has taken an interesting step towards answering that question. Before we dive in, it's important to say that this blog is not my opinion or interpretation of the science. It's simply my attempt to translate a fascinating research paper into everyday English. If you'd like to read the original study yourself, you can find it here. Now, let's unpack what the researchers actually found. So... what did they do? Rather than looking at people's genes, the researchers looked at the proteins circulating in their blood. Think of it like this: Your genes are the recipe book. Proteins are what your body is actually cooking today. By measuring these proteins, researchers can get a snapshot of what systems in the body are active and how they're behaving. The study compared blood samples from women with hypermobile EDS to women without hEDS. What surprised the researchers? They expected to find lots of differences in proteins related to connective tissue. Instead... Most of the differences they found were related to the immune system. Many of the altered proteins were involved in:
Only one of the significantly different proteins was directly related to connective tissue itself. That doesn't mean connective tissue isn't important in hEDS. It simply suggests that there may be much more happening throughout the body than we've previously appreciated. Why is that exciting? If you've ever felt like your symptoms don't fit neatly into the "loose joints" explanation, you're certainly not alone. Many people with hEDS also experience conditions like:
For years, researchers have recognised these conditions often occur together, but they've struggled to explain why. This study suggests that changes in the immune system may be one piece of that puzzle. It's important to be clear here: the researchers are not saying that hEDS is an autoimmune disease, nor are they saying the immune system causes hEDS. They're saying they found measurable differences in immune-related proteins that deserve further investigation. That's a very different statement—and a much more scientifically responsible one. Does this explain why symptoms flare? Possibly. The researchers also found changes in pathways involved in inflammation and the body's response to stress. Many people with hEDS describe becoming significantly more symptomatic after things like:
What doesn't this study prove? Good science is just as much about recognising what we don't know as what we do know. This research does not prove that:
People with hypermobile EDS appear to have a distinct pattern of proteins circulating in their blood, particularly involving immune and inflammatory pathways. That's an important finding, but it's only one piece of a much bigger puzzle. Why I think this research matters One of the things I love most about chronic pain research is watching the picture become more complete over time. For many years, hypermobile EDS was viewed largely through the lens of joints and connective tissue. Studies like this remind us that our bodies are incredibly interconnected. The immune system, nervous system, connective tissue, blood vessels and inflammatory pathways all influence one another. Looking at hEDS as a whole-body condition may help researchers better understand why people experience such a wide variety of symptoms. As someone who works with many people living with hypermobility and persistent pain, I find that encouraging. It doesn't give us all the answers. But it does suggest that researchers are asking better questions. And that's often where real progress begins. Want to discuss this research with a therapist who is experienced in treating hypermobility, EDS and associated conditions? Book with Mel or Sarah, we'll be more than happy to discuss what we know during your treatment. Reference:
Molly Griggs, et al. Proteomic discoveries in hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome reveal insights into disease pathophysiology, ImmunoHorizons, Volume 9, Issue 10, October 2025, vlaf044, https://doi.org/10.1093/immhor/vlaf044 By Andrew Wickens, Myotherapist When approaching plantar fascia pain, I like to take a clinical approach. This means we look beyond just the sore spot in your heel. Instead of only treating the symptoms, we focus on understanding why your pain is there, which could potentially be due to tight calves, poor movement patterns, or daily habits contributing to the problem.  Treatment for plantar fascia pain isn’t always just a massage to the bottom of the foot. I like to make sure the treatment is tailored to you. Different treatment techniques can include deep or superficial pressure to the tissue, needling (especially for the calves), cupping (with movement or static), exercise and strengthening prescriptions, corrective advice for daily tasks and movements, and potentially advice on supportive footwear. These treatments can help reduce pain, improve mobility, and guide you on ways to support yourself at home or work. Treatment can also help identify triggers and give you simple strategies to prevent flare-ups. Helpful actions you can take for your plantar fascia before seeking treatment include:
While leaving the pain to improve on its own can sometimes lead to a temporary “fix,” the pain often tends to creep back later, potentially leading to further injury or affecting other areas of your body. A Myotherapy treatment approach is more targeted and goal-driven. It’s about addressing the cause, improving how your body moves, and keeping your plantar fascia pain away for as long as possible. By Rachael Bird, Myotherapist Physios are legends when it comes to rehab. Seriously. But here's the thing—most of the time, they're not doing a lot of hands-on work. And that's where it might be worth thinking about what else could help. You're in pain, right? So you get given a bunch of exercises to do at home. But you're still in pain, which means you either can't be bothered doing them, or you do them and... nothing much changes. You're left thinking, "What's the point?" Now, here's the thing, a lot of people get brilliant results from exercises alone, which is fabulous. But for others, there might be more going on.  Why hands-on work might help: Exercises are great for training and building strength. But they can be less effective if the tissue underneath is tight, restricted, or guarded. Adding hands-on work; releasing tension, breaking down trigger points, addressing restrictions, could potentially create better conditions for those exercises to actually do their job. Let me use plantar fasciitis as an example. Everyone treats the calf and the foot, yeah? But there's a possibility that if your foot isn't working as well as it could, your body might compensate. You could start using the other leg more. That might create a postural imbalance. And then? Potentially some back discomfort. By the time your foot finally improves, those compensation patterns might still be hanging around. That's where things get tricky. What could potentially be going on: • Your glutes might be really tight due to the compensation → which could contribute to tightness in your calves • Tight calves → could feed into tightness in your foot • A tight foot → might mean you're overloading the other side • Overloading the other side → could shift your posture, create hip imbalance, potentially strain your lower back • All of this → might make you more susceptible to injury and recurring discomfort It's a chain reaction that sometimes treatment plans only touch one link of. This is where myotherapy comes in alongside physio: Here's something to think about—myotherapy and physio exercises could complement each other well. While your physio is training that area to work properly and regain strength, myotherapy is loosening restrictions and releasing tension. You're getting both angles at the same time. Hands-on work might create conditions for change, addressing those compensation patterns. Your physio gives you the tools to train that area. Together? That could amplify your results. One alone might work great for you. Both together? That could give you additional benefits, whether it's longer-lasting relief, faster improvement, or just a more complete picture of what's happening. Something worth considering: When you start looking at the broader picture instead of just that one painful spot, things might start making more sense. The area that hurts isn't always the root cause—sometimes it's dealing with the fallout of everything else upstream. Maybe your exercises aren't shifting things because the tissue needs some preparation first. Maybe your pain keeps returning because compensation patterns are still active. Maybe there's more to the story. It's worth exploring :) By Rachael Bird, Myotherapist Most people think that getting a treatment is a fix-all solution, but actually… it’s only a small part of it. To properly manage pain, you usually need a combination of things!  Understanding What’s Going On Where is the pain coming from? Is it local pain or referred pain? What type of pain is it, and how severe is it? Is that the only source of pain? Sometimes there can be underlying issues, old injuries, movement patterns, or compensations that have gradually contributed to the problem without you even realising it. Treatment & Goals If your treatment goal is only focused on the “here and now,” then there’s a high chance the pain may return. It’s important to look a little further ahead and work on how to keep the pain away long term, or at least help manage it more effectively. This can include self-management strategies or maintenance plans for chronic conditions such as Fibromyalgia or MS. These conditions may not be “fixed,” but treatment can still help provide relief so you can go about being your awesome self. Be Realistic If you’ve had an issue for a long time, there’s a possibility it may take a little while to get you back on track. This also applies to fresh injuries or symptoms. Sometimes what feels “new” is actually something that has been building up over time and has only just decided to crack it — so now you’re finally feeling it. Healing isn’t always straightforward, so it’s important to be mindful and understand that it’s our job to help you — and we genuinely want that too. Everybody is unique. For some people, it is a quick fix, while for others (even with the same pain or same area), it can take a bit longer. Yes… You’ll Probably Get Homework I know this isn’t the best news 😂 However, having the right information and tools can help make your pain:
This may include:
These are all important in helping you achieve your goals more effectively. Our job is to be here when you need us — but not for you to have to rely on us completely. We want you to be able to enjoy your life, do the things you love, and only need us occasionally to help maintain things when needed. We’ll work with you to help manage your issue and get you back to doing what you enjoy most. |
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Mel Simon (Senior Clinical Myotherapist) and Dr Sarah Varmalis (Senior Osteo) are available 7 days a week at our Boronia clinic. Archives
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