Background:​ Hypermobility is widely under diagnosed in all demographic areas, including athletes. Hypermobile athletes could be at a greater risk of unnoticed injury when compared to non-hypermobile athletes. With lateral ankle sprains being the most common athletic injury, this could pose serious problems. Athletic trainers could have hypermobile athletes and mistake their naturally lax ankle ligaments and associated problems with chronic ankle instability if a proper history is not obtained. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not hypermobile athletes have decreased sensations as compared to non-hypermobile athletes.

Methods:​ The Beighton Score was utilized to determine hypermobility status among collegiate athletes with a score of 5/9 or above considered to be hypermobile. Active and passive ankle inversion range of motion (ROM) were taken for all athletes in both the hypermobile and non-hypermobile groups to establish an end range. Athletes were then placed into beyond their end range until discomfort was felt, up to 10° beyond their end range, or a firm end-feel was felt. Athletes then rated their discomfort on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Subjects:​ Five participants age 20.8±.4472 years old with 2 hypermobile athletes (1 male, 1 female) and 3 non- hypermobile athletes (2 males, 1 female).

Results:​ No significant results were obtained due to the small number of participants. The non-hypermobile group had higher ROM means and standard deviations (AROM:​ 35.89°±9.12°, PROM:​ 37.22°±8.51°, BEROM:​ 40.89°±7.53°) than the hypermobile group (AROM:​ 31.67°±3.3°, PROM:​ 34.17°±3.06°, BEROM:​ 39°±3.3°) for all three tests, but the hypermobile group had lower VAS score means and standard deviations (.67/10±.47/10) than the non-hypermobile group (1.33/10±.1.33/10).

Conclusions:​ Participant numbers are too low to make a statement regarding significant results. The non-hypermobile group had a larger range for their range of ankle inversion, while the hypermobile group has a more compact range of ankle inversion. The VAS scores are also very low for both groups, suggesting very little discomfort, if any, felt by either group.