Why Stretching Makes Hypermobility Worse (and What to Do Instead!)

If you live with hypermobility or hEDS, you probably know the feeling of being both tight and floppy at the same time. For years, I thought the constant tightness in my body meant I needed more stretching. So I stretched. A lot. It felt good for a moment, but I always ended up feeling worse later. More unstable. More achy. More confused.

If that has been your experience too, please know you are not imagining it. Hypermobile bodies respond differently to stretching, and no one really tells us that growing up. I wish someone had explained it to me earlier in a way that felt gentle and non-shaming. So that is what I want this post to be for you.

Let’s talk about why stretching can make things harder for hypermobile bodies and what actually helps instead.

The “tightness” you feel is not the same as stiffness

This was one of the biggest aha moments of my life.
What I always thought was stiffness was actually my body trying to create stability where my joints did not have much support.

The tension is not your muscles being short or stuck.
The tension is your body trying to hold everything together.

So when we stretch that tight feeling, we are not releasing anything.
We are temporarily taking away the only support our body has managed to create. No wonder everything feels worse later.

Stretching often pushes us into end range without meaning to…

Every stretch I used to do felt “easy” because my body was already flexible. I had no idea I was sliding right into positions that my joints were not stable enough to handle.

For a lot of us, stretching feels like relief in the moment simply because the nervous system gets a quick break. But the joint itself becomes more vulnerable afterward. That is usually when the wobbly feeling hits, or the soreness, or the weird discomfort that is hard to describe.

It is not your fault. No one teaches hypermobile people how to move safely.

So if stretching is not the answer, what do we do instead…

Here is what actually helps hypermobile bodies feel supported:

1. Tiny activation instead of deep stretching

Small movements that gently wake up the stabilizing muscles. Not a workout. Just a gentle hello.

2. Mid-range mobility

This means moving in the middle of your range instead of the very end of it. It feels boring at first, but it is magic.

3. Slow breathing to calm the nervous system

When your system settles, your muscles stop gripping so tightly. A calm body is a more stable body.

4. Supportive strengthening

Not the intense, “go harder” style workouts. Just gentle strength work that helps your joints feel held.

5. Movements that build trust instead of overwhelm

If your body feels safe, everything becomes easier.

How to know when a stretch might be too much…

You might notice:

• feeling more unstable or shaky afterward
• increased pain a few hours later
• a weird floaty or disconnected feeling
• joints sliding or slipping
• fatigue that feels deeper than usual

These are signs your body needs support, not lengthening.

A softer way to approach movement…

If stretching has been a go to for years, it can feel strange to stop. But you are not giving anything up. You are choosing something that will actually help your body feel more steady and less overwhelmed.

Your body is not too much. It is not dramatic. It is not wrong.
It simply needs a different kind of care. A gentler, more stabilizing kind.

Every small moment of support adds up.
Even tiny movements can shift your entire relationship with your body.

If you want a simple, supportive place to start…

I created a Gentle Stability Starter Guide for this exact reason.
It is a collection of 10 short routines that use:

• small movements
• deep but gentle activation
• nervous system friendly pacing

• no stretching or end range positions

It is everything I wish I had when I was trying to make sense of my hypermobile body.

If you want a calm, structured way to begin, you can find it here: Gentle Stability Starter Guide

https://hypermobilewellnessco.squarespace.com/store/p/gentle-stability-starter-guide

Final thoughts…

You are not broken for feeling worse after stretching.
Your body is doing its best with the information it has.
You just needed different information. A different approach.
A softer doorway into strength and stability.

Move slowly. Move kindly. Move in a way that welcomes your body instead of fighting it.
You deserve that kind of support.