Beighton Scoring System

The Beighton Score is a simple validated system used to quantify joint laxity and hypermobility. If you think you may have hypermobility, you can check your Beighton Score using the table below

Give yourself 1 point for each of the simple tests that you can do, with the maximum score being 9 points. Most people score less than 2, and only three to four in a hundred healthy people score 4 points or more.

Test	Points
Able to put hands flat on the floor with knees straight	1
Able to bend left elbow backwards (hyperextend beyond 10°)	1
Able to bend right elbow backwards (hyperextend beyond 10°)	1
Able to bend your left thumb back on the front of your forearm	1
Able to bend your right thumb back on the front of your forearm	1
Able to bend you left little (fifth) finger back beyond 90°	1
Able to bend your right little (fifth) finger back beyond 90°	1
Able to bend your left knee backwards(hyperextend beyond 10°)	1
Able to bend you right knee backwards (hyperextend beyond 10°	1

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The Beighton Score can be categorised into three groups:

0-2 points not hypermobile
3-4 points moderately hypermobile
5-9 points distinctly hypermobile

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This work by Musculoskeletal Consumer Review is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Singapore License. This article was contributed by Core Concepts - Musculoskeletal Health Group. In the spirit of promoting health education, you may copy, distribute and transmit the work under the conditions specified by the license. For articles re-printed with permission, copyright remains with the original copyright holder (author or publisher). MCR's Creative Commons License does not apply in such cases.

Comments

http://mcr.coreconcepts.com.sg/ Core Concepts
Dear Sue,nnThank you for your comment. I believe that you were referring to the “Wrist Stretch 1″ and “Wrist Stretch 2″ link in the “Related posts” section.nnThe “related posts” section is a system-generated list of articles that may of interest of our readers. These are articles related to the current article being read. nnIn this case, the two articles were chosen by the system because the article above talked about bending and the wrists.nnWe agree with you and do not advocate doing stretches to joints that are already hypermobile. nnWe are sorry if we confused you with the “related posts” section.nn
Sue
You have an article relating to Hypermobility Syndrome – and then straight below you link to video clips of 2 exercises (Wrist Stretch 1 & 2) which are virtually guaranteed to make the condition WORSE!!!!! This is extremely irresponsible. To anyone reading this page who has (or thinks they may have) pain due to hypermobile wrists – DO NOT DO THOSE WRIST STRETCHES: You will end up over-stretching the joints even more!!!
http://mcr.coreconcepts.com.sg/ Core Concepts
Dear Sue,
Thank you for your comment. I believe that you were referring to the “Wrist Stretch 1″ and “Wrist Stretch 2″ link in the “Related posts” section.
The “related posts” section is a system-generated list of articles that may of interest of our readers. These are articles related to the current article being read.
In this case, the two articles were chosen by the system because the article above talked about bending and the wrists.
We agree with you and do not advocate doing stretches to joints that are already hypermobile.
We are sorry if we confused you with the “related posts” section.
Read more: http://mcr.coreconcepts.com.sg/beighton-scoring…
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives
Jmbens4
Why do you not explain that they may have a connective tissue disorder, called ehlers-danlos, that can be life threatening? Your show disgusts me.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1543582015 Kim Bradley
I don’t understand why you wouldn’t explain that having a high score on the Beighton Scoring System could mean that person could have joint hypermobilty syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which can be very painful. I have lived with joint pain my entire life and you’re showing a tremendous amount of irresponsibility by not telling people about this when you do shows like this. People who have hypermobile joints but don’t practice caution can harm their joints if they aren’t careful with the exercises and things that they do especially during the critical growing years of childhood when the bones are developing. Had I known this I could have prevented a lot of my joint pain and possibly some of the arthritis that I have now. Why don’t you do a show dedicated to EDS and the facts on EDS with Dr Brad Tinkle and some of the other leading experts?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1543582015 Kim Bradley
I think it’s irresponsible of you to do this show like you have done it. You have not presented the facts about EDS and joint hypermobility but have made people think that if they have a good score the Beighton Scale then it’s a good thing…but the reality is that a high score on this scale can mean they could have joint hypermobility syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which can lead to arthritis and a life of joint replacement surgeries among other complications. I know because I have it and have been through this my entire life. It is irresponsible to do a show and not present the facts on both sides of hypermobility. If you present the pros then you need to present the cons as well. When I was a kid I could bend backwards and do all sorts of “party tricks” that you would think a circus performer would do but it led to arthritis and a lot of joint pain because every time I did that I was subluxing or dislocating one of my joints without knowing it! This is the other side of joint hypermobility that needs to be seen that you aren’t showing!
Ellen
Hi Kim. I think you meant to reply to the Doctors show, but your comment went on a page for a link they provided (to the Beighton Scoring System). You can comment on the Doctors page too: http://www.thedoctorstv.com/videolib/init/5202
Kitkat546
This is not part of the show this is a link to another sight that was referenced on the show.
Tsparks730
I have just recieved confirmation that my score on the Beighton Scale is a 7.9 and am being tested for EDS types I, II and IV. I have had a spontaneous intercranial internal carotid artery dissection that extends from approx. my ear to the circle of willis. I am lucky first of all to have survived this and secondly not to have had a stroke. I have suffered from migraines my entire life and have also had a uteran rupture. Being Hypermobile was “cute” when I was younger but I now understand what it can be a sign of. Very scary!