Dr. Corey works with patients across the full hypermobility spectrum, not just one subtype. That includes hypermobile EDS (hEDS), classical, vascular, and other rarer forms of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome,[1] as well as Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) and generalized joint hypermobility that hasn't been formally classified.[2] If you've spent years explaining your body to providers who'd never worked with a case like yours, that's exactly the gap this page is about.
What hypermobility and EDS can look like
- Joints that move beyond a typical range, sometimes subluxating or fully dislocating with ordinary movement
- Chronic joint or muscle pain, often migrating between areas rather than staying in one spot
- Frequent sprains, strains, or a sense that joints are "loose" or unstable
- Fatigue that's out of proportion to activity level, and slow recovery after exertion
- Skin that bruises easily or stretches more than expected, in classical and some other EDS subtypes
- Symptoms that other providers have dismissed or attributed to deconditioning or anxiety
A diagnosis note: Chiropractic care doesn't diagnose EDS or its subtypes. Under the 2017 international classification, every subtype except hypermobile EDS needs genetic testing to confirm, and hEDS has its own detailed clinical criteria,[1] so diagnosis belongs with a geneticist or a specialist familiar with those criteria. If you have a formal diagnosis already, bring whatever records you have. If you don't, and you suspect a connective tissue disorder, Dr. Corey can still work with you and help point you toward the right referral.
Why this care looks different
Joint hypermobility changes the calculus for hands-on care. The goal isn't to create more motion; it's to build stability around the motion that's already there. Expert guidance for hypermobility emphasizes strengthening, joint stability, and proprioceptive training, though research on specific treatments is still limited in size and quality,[3] and chiropractic texts likewise pair stabilization work with joint protection such as taping or bracing for hypermobile joints.[7] For hands-on care, low-force adjusting techniques have been suggested as a gentler option for people with fragile tissue, based on case reports rather than trials.[4] That's why Dr. Corey's approach leans on low-force techniques, muscle activation, and proprioceptive work, helping your nervous system and muscles do the job your connective tissue can't do alone.
How Dr. Corey evaluates hypermobility and EDS
Your 75–90 minute first visit starts with a detailed history — including any existing diagnosis, family history, and the systemic symptoms that often travel with connective tissue disorders (skin, digestive, cardiovascular, or autonomic symptoms, for example), which helps build a full picture even though those specific systems are outside chiropractic scope and may need their own referral. The physical exam includes:
- A Beighton score assessment and joint-by-joint range-of-motion testing
- Evaluating which joints are hypermobile versus which are compensating and overworked
- Muscle strength and activation patterns around unstable joints
- Posture and movement patterns that may be placing extra strain on lax joints
- Screening for signs that warrant referral to a geneticist, rheumatologist, physical therapist, or other specialist
What treatment may include
- Low-force adjustments or mobilization, chosen specifically to avoid over-stretching already-lax joints
- Myofascial and soft-tissue work for the muscles compensating around unstable joints
- Proprioceptive and joint-stability exercises — training your muscles and nervous system to provide the support your connective tissue doesn't
- Practical guidance on movement, bracing, and activity pacing to reduce flare-ups
- Coordination with your other providers — physical therapists, rheumatologists, geneticists — when you have a care team in place
Care is paced to how your body responds, and adjusted visit to visit — what works for a stable hEDS patient looks different from what works for someone with more systemic involvement.
What your first appointment looks like
Book online, complete your intake forms ahead of time — including any existing diagnosis or specialist records — and plan for 75–90 minutes. The intake visit includes your history, exam, and a treatment plan, plus gentle treatment that day if it's appropriate. Pricing is flat and published before you book. Golden Bear is out-of-network with insurance, and a superbill is available on request.
Frequently asked questions
Is chiropractic care safe if I'm hypermobile?
Standard high-velocity adjustments aren't automatically the right choice for hypermobile joints, which is why Dr. Corey leans on low-force techniques and stability-focused work instead.[3][4] Your exam determines what's appropriate for your specific joints, and some may tolerate more than others.
Do I need a formal EDS diagnosis before booking?
No. Many patients come in with a working diagnosis, a suspicion they haven't had confirmed, or just a lifetime of joint problems no one's explained well. Dr. Corey can work with you at any stage and help you find the right specialist if formal diagnosis is the next step.
I have hEDS — is this different from classical or vascular EDS care?
The subtypes differ in what else is going on in the body. Vascular EDS in particular carries a risk of artery and organ rupture, and expert guidance recommends adapting daily life to minimize injury,[5] which changes what's safe for hands-on care. Your history and exam findings shape your plan specifically, not a one-size-fits-all hypermobility protocol.
Can chiropractic care help with EDS-related fatigue?
Fatigue in EDS and HSD usually has several contributors, including chronic pain, poor sleep, deconditioning, and autonomic problems. Expert reviews recommend checking for biomechanical problems and preventing deconditioning as part of treatment,[6] and building stability and better movement patterns can help with that piece. Fatigue this complex usually benefits from a full care team, not chiropractic care alone.
Sources
Retrieved through PubMed, plus Souza's chiropractic differential diagnosis text. Numbers in brackets above refer to this list.
- Malfait F, Francomano C, Byers P, et al. The 2017 international classification of the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017;175(1):8-26. doi:10.1002/ajmg.c.31552
- Castori M, Tinkle B, Levy H, Grahame R, Malfait F, Hakim A. A framework for the classification of joint hypermobility and related conditions. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017;175(1):148-157. doi:10.1002/ajmg.c.31539
- Engelbert RHH, Juul-Kristensen B, Pacey V, et al. The evidence-based rationale for physical therapy treatment of children, adolescents, and adults diagnosed with joint hypermobility syndrome/hypermobile Ehlers Danlos syndrome. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017;175(1):158-167. doi:10.1002/ajmg.c.31545
- Colloca CJ, Polkinghorn BS. Chiropractic management of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: a report of two cases. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2003;26(7):448-459. doi:10.1016/S0161-4754(03)00095-2
- Byers PH, Belmont J, Black J, et al. Diagnosis, natural history, and management in vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017;175(1):40-47. doi:10.1002/ajmg.c.31553
- Hakim A, De Wandele I, O'Callaghan C, Pocinki A, Rowe P. Chronic fatigue in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobile type. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017;175(1):175-180. doi:10.1002/ajmg.c.31542
- Souza TA. Differential Diagnosis and Management for the Chiropractor: Protocols and Algorithms. 3rd ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett; 2005:26.