MODULE 0

Introduction to EZyEDS

This course is designed to be self-paced, allowing you to progress through the material by watching each video at a time that suits your schedule.

In this introductory module, you will learn:

• How to use the course and navigate the learning materials

• Who the course is designed for, including patients, families, and healthcare professionals

• How clinicians and people living with joint hypermobility can learn together using a shared framework and language

By the end of this course, you will have gained a clear, practical overview of the joint hypermobility syndromes and their associated systemic features as they commonly present in adults, along with an understanding of the principles used to assess, classify, and manage these conditions.

MODULE 1

Overview of the Management of Joint Hypermobility

This module provides a high-level overview of the management of the systemic features associated with joint hypermobility.

The exact reasons why some individuals with joint hypermobility develop these systemic features are not yet fully understood. For this reason, it is important to approach these presentations using the principles applied to medical conditions with an uncertain underlying cause.

In this module, you will gain insight into:

• The principles of managing a medical condition with an uncertain underlying cause

• A step-by-step overview of assessing and managing the systemic features associated with joint hypermobility

• The importance of excluding inflammatory, autoimmune, degenerative, and known genetic conditions that may present with joint pain and or hypermobility

By the end of this module, you will have a clear understanding of the broad principles used in the assessment and management of the systemic features associated with joint hypermobility.

MODULE 2

Measuring Joint Hypermobility

Once you have gained a broad overview of the systemic features associated with joint hypermobility and have considered important differential diagnoses, you will be ready to learn how joint hypermobility can be assessed in clinical practice.

This module provides:

• An overview of clinical assessment tools, including the Beighton Score and related measures

• Practical considerations and limitations when measuring joint hypermobility

• Guidance on interpreting assessment findings within the appropriate clinical context

By the end of this module, you will understand the practical application of the Beighton Score, its limitations, and how to extend your joint hypermobility assessment to ensure that hypermobility in joints not included in the Beighton Score is not overlooked.

MODULE 3

Understanding the Systemic Features of Joint Hypermobility

While joint hypermobility provides entry into the spectrum of hypermobility-related conditions, it is the systemic features that help determine the specific classification of the various forms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

In this module, you will learn:

• The difference between objective (“tangible”) and subjective (“non-tangible”) systemic features commonly associated with joint hypermobility

• How the identification of these systemic features contributes to the classification of the different forms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

• How to assess systemic features in a clinically relevant and practical manner

By the end of this module, you will have a practical framework for identifying and assessing the systemic features associated with joint hypermobility and understanding how these features contribute to the classification of the various forms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

MODULE 4

Classification and Diagnostic Categories

Accurately classifying a patient with a specific form of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) or a Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) is essential for guiding appropriate genetic testing, clinical evaluation, and management.

In this module, you will learn the practical steps involved in classifying patients with joint hypermobility–related conditions, including:

• An overview of the forms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome commonly recognised in adults

• How to recognise the rarer forms of EDS, including classical, classical-like, cardiac-valvular, and vascular EDS

• How to differentiate hypermobile EDS (hEDS) from the Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD)

• Practical guidance for navigating incomplete or evolving diagnostic presentations

By the end of this module, you will have a clear and practical understanding of how to confidently classify patients with EDS or HSD and apply this knowledge in clinical practice.

MODULE 5

Management Principles for Clinicians

Once a patient with joint hypermobility has been accurately classified as having a specific form of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) or a Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD), you will be in a position to discuss an appropriate management plan with your patient.

In this module, you will learn practical steps to help formulate a management plan tailored to your patient’s individual needs, including:

• Core principles of management and multidisciplinary care

• When referral for specialist evaluation or genetic testing may be appropriate

• How to communicate effectively with patients about prognosis, uncertainty, and self-management

• Understanding risk factors associated with systemic features of joint hypermobility

• Approaches to addressing complex pain and fatigue in the context of hypermobility

• How to assess the impact of systemic features on patient function and quality of life

By the end of this module, you will have the confidence to develop a practical, patient-centred management plan for individuals with hEDS, or HSD.

MODULE 6

Self-Care and Living with EDS and the Systemic Features of Joint Hypermobility 

At present, there is no definitive treatment for the various forms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) or the Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD). Management is therefore primarily directed at addressing the individual systemic features associated with these conditions.

While many of the objective (“tangible”) systemic features may be managed with conventional medical therapies, many of the subjective (“non-tangible”) features require active self-management and lifestyle strategies.

In this module, you will explore practical steps patients can take to help manage these challenges, including:

• Foundations of self-care, pacing, and symptom management

• Strategies to support joint stability and everyday physical function

• Practical approaches to managing pain, fatigue, and symptom flares

• Psychological and social aspects of living with a chronic connective tissue condition

• How to collaborate effectively with healthcare providers to support long-term health

By the end of this module, you will have a clear understanding of practical self-care strategies that can help individuals manage many of the subjective systemic features associated with hEDS and HSD.