Hypermobility, EDS, and the Dancer Everyone Calls "Flexible" Guest: Sharon Harrasser, MS, CWP, CLYL from 13 Zebras Wellness She's Not Uninterested, She's Hypermobile: What Dance Moms Need to Know about Hypermobility Your dancer is the flexy one. The one who gets picked for contortion tricks. The one whose splits look effortless. And she is also the one who bruises constantly, walks into doorframes, spills water, gets exhausted standing in line, and complains of "growing pains" that never quite go away. What if those things are connected? In this episode I sit down with Sharon of 13 Zebras Wellness, an integrative health and wellness coach, Ehlers-Danlos Society advocate, and certified wellness practitioner, who has been living with hypermobility since long before anyone gave it a name. She was a dancer too, until joint subluxations pulled her out of it. We talk about what hypermobility and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos actually are, why puberty is so often the moment things fall apart, what studios and coaches consistently miss, and the difference between a dancer who is not trying hard enough and a dancer whose connective tissue is working against her. This is an education episode. We are not diagnosing anyone and we are not treating anyone. But information changes what you notice, and what you notice changes the conversation you have with your dancer's provider. [00:01:11] Meet Sharon: from "you're just double-jointed" to an EDS advocacy career [00:03:36] Sharon's own dance story, and why puberty is the turning point for so many dancers [00:04:29] Why medical schools spend about 30 seconds on this [00:06:10] Why the business is called 13 Zebras (there are 13 recognized subtypes of Ehlers-Danlos, and no two people present the same) [00:08:14] The disclaimer, and why dance and gymnastics attract hypermobile kids in the first place [00:09:23] Common characteristics to observe: fatigue, GI symptoms, "growing pains," food sensitivities, the Beighton score [00:10:06] The ADHD and autism connection in hypermobility research [CLARIFICATION NOTE: the direction of research findings is that 51% of neurodivergent people exhibit hypermobility traits. And that people with hypermobility are also more likely to have an associated neurodivergent condition.] [00:11:25] What studios get wrong: "she's not trying hard enough" versus "she needs different support" [00:14:14] Connective tissue is in everything (brain, vocal cords, intestines, blood vessels), so this is never just about flexible joints [00:15:19] Proprioception explained, and why it explains the bruises, the clumsiness, and the exhaustion [00:16:40] Dysautonomia, blood pooling, fainting during long balances, and why hot showers can wreck a dancer [00:19:03] The party trick problem: showing off flexibility while quietly damaging joints [00:20:12] Why injuries in hypermobile bodies do not heal the same way [00:21:29] The number one thing Sharon wants every dance mom to know: flexibility is not the same as strength or control [00:22:19] Over-splits, forced stretching, and the "stretchy coach" problem [00:23:27] What a subluxation actually is (and how it differs from a dislocation) [00:25:03] Pain and fatigue are information, not something to dance through [00:26:33] Why "I can normally dance through pain" is a red flag, not a badge of honor [00:28:14] Building a team around the dancer instead of building the dancer around the team [00:29:14] Studios that shame dancers for sitting out [00:31:38] The nutrition conversation: GI motility, mast cell involvement, and why elimination approaches are diagnostic tools, not long term plans [00:35:06] How to actually prepare for the pediatrician appointment (observe first, collect patterns, bring the whole picture once) [00:36:16] Genetics referrals and connective tissue panels [00:39:40] The mental health piece: when a dancer's identity collides with a diagnosis [00:41:38] The honest conversation about commitment, and what this asks of a serious dancer [00:44:59] Hypermobility clinics opening up worldwide [00:47:01] Laughter yoga, Dr. Madan Kataria, and why Sharon is researching the nervous system side of it [00:49:47] What a thriving dancer actually looks like [00:53:44] For the moms: 75% of hypermobile patients are female, and there is a genetic link Three Things Sharon Wants Every Dance Mom to Hear 1. Flexibility is not the same thing as strength or control. Beautiful extensions and effortless turnout do not mean the joint is stable in that position. Training that builds stability around the joint matters more than training that chases more range of motion. 2. Pain and fatigue are information. They are not obstacles to push through. Persistent joint pain, recurring injuries, and unusual fatigue are data. Rest and modification are part of training, not evidence of failure. 3. You may be looking at yourself, too. There is a genetic link here. A lot of moms recognize their own history somewhere in this conversation. That can turn into a shared discovery instead of a separate crisis. Vocabulary From This Episode Hypermobility: joints that move beyond the typical range of motion. Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD): a clinical classification used when hypermobility comes with symptoms, in the absence of other rheumatological conditions. Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS): one of 13 recognized EDS subtypes. Unlike most subtypes, it currently has no identified genetic marker, which is part of why diagnosis takes so long. Beighton score: a scored set of specific movements used to assess generalized joint hypermobility. It is one input, not a diagnosis on its own. Subluxation: a partial displacement, when a joint slides out of its socket and then returns. A full dislocation is when it does not return on its own. Proprioception: your body's sense of where it is in space. When it is unreliable, you get the bruises, the missed doorframes, the balance struggles, and a nervous system doing overtime all day. Dysautonomia: dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system. In this population it often shows up as blood pooling, lightheadedness during long stationary holds, heart rate spikes, sweating, and nausea. A Note on Evidence This episode is a conversation between two people who live this, not a clinical review. Research on hypermobility and EDS is expanding fast, and a lot of what dancers and families need is still ahead of the literature. Where Sharon references specific research (the ADHD and autism connection, low FODMAP approaches, the female prevalence figure), treat it as a starting point for a conversation with a qualified provider, not a conclusion. Nothing here is medical advice. Nothing here diagnoses or treats any condition. If something in this episode sounded familiar, that is a reason to observe carefully and bring your observations to your dancer's healthcare provider. Connect With Sharon Sharon is the founder of 13 Zebras Wellness, an integrative health and wellness coach, an Ehlers-Danlos Society advocate, and a certified wellness practitioner with the National Association for Wellness. She trained in laughter yoga under Dr. Madan Kataria and runs live sessions twice a month. Website: https://www.thirteenzebraswellness.com/ Laughter yoga sessions: https://www.thirteenzebraswellness.com/ Resources Mentioned The Ehlers-Danlos Society: https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/ Beighton score overview: https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/assessing-joint-hypermobility/ Dr. Jessica Eccles, hypermobility and neurodivergence research: LINK HERE Get the Newsletter Every week I send dance moms the research, the questions to ask, and the things nobody at the studio is telling you. No fluff, no fear-mongering, no "just trust the process." Sign up here: NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP (https://moms.thrivingdancers.com/newsletters/thriving-dancers-world/subscribe) Let's Talk About It Did something in this episode make you go "wait, that's my kid"? Come tell me. I read every message. Find me on Instagram @thrivingdancersco and send me a DM with your questions. Your question might become the next episode. And if you know a dance mom who has been told her dancer is just clumsy, just tired, or just not trying hard enough, send her this one. Coming Up Sharon is coming back for a full episode on laughter yoga, the nervous system, and why it might belong in a hypermobile dancer's toolbox. Subscribe so you do not miss it. The Thriving Dancers Podcast is educational content from an integrative health educator's perspective. It is not medical advice, and it does not diagnose, treat, or cure any condition. Always work with your dancer's qualified healthcare provider.
