The 411 on Hypermobility + why it’s NOT just flexibility (ft. Dr. Linda Bluestein)

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with THE Dr. Linda Bluestein (!!!). She’s a board-certified physician, hypermobility specialist, host of the Bendy Bodies podcast, and someone who didn't get her own hEDS diagnosis until her 50s. We're diving into: 🦴 What hypermobility actually is — and the four types most people have never heard of (peripheral, localized, generalized, and historical) 🩺 Dr. Bluestein's personal journey — from teenage ballerina with chronic injuries to anesthesiologist to hypermobility specialist, and the Tarlov cyst surgery that finally connected all the dots ⏱️ The 17-year literature lag — why it takes nearly two decades for published research to reach clinical practice, and the cost to patients NOW 🧠 Central sensitization — why pain begets pain in hypermobile bodies, and how the nervous system gets rewired over time 🛠️ The MENS-PMMS framework — Dr. Bluestein's approach to managing hypermobility (try these TODAY!!) 💊 Dr. Bluestein’s TOP 3 high-impact tools (!!!) — LDN, vitamin D optimization, and magnesium 🔮 The new EDS criteria — what's changing, what it means for the community, and Dr. Bluestein's role in the International Consortium on EDS xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What is something YOU are constantly doing to make yourself more comfortable throughout the day that you don’t even think about?! TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Hypermobility, Pain & Dr. Bluestein’s Diagnosis Story: 00:01:34 Defining Joint Hypermobility & Muscle Guarding 00:04:45 Types of Hypermobility: Peripheral, Localized, Generalized & Historical 00:07:05 Dr. Bluestein's Story: Ballet, Early Illness, and Diagnosis Why Patients Struggle Getting a Diagnosis: 00:17:08 Connecting Connective Tissue Disorders to Systemic Symptoms 00:19:30 Why Hypermobility Is Misdiagnosed 00:28:15 Why patients see normal labs and normal imaging but have symptoms + the Role of Systemic Interconnectedness 00:29:46 The Spectrum of Hypermobility: From Dancers to Bedbound Patients 00:33:00 The Psychological Toll of Medical Gaslighting How to Manage Hypermobility: 00:35:36 Proactive Management: The MEN'S PMMS Framework 00:37:03 Building Momentum with the 10% Rule 00:39:53 Reapproaching Movement & Avoiding Kinesiophobia 00:42:06 Overcoming Pain Catastrophization & Reclaiming Power 00:44:18 Reclaiming Agency Through Micro-Joys 00:48:05 High-Impact Interventions: Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) 00:50:10 Optimizing Vitamin D & Magnesium Levels 00:53:28 Central Sensitization, Neuroinflammation & Unique Pain Wiring The 411 on the New EDS Criteria: 01:03:43 Insights on the New EDS Criteria & Community Advocacy Conclusion: 01:09:48 One Brain Cell Show: Slow Horses (Apple TV+) & Clarkson's Farm (Prime Video) 01:14:27 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Dr. Linda Bluestein: • Instagram, Personal - https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD • Website - https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ • Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@BendyBodiesPodcast • Instagram, Podcast - • Instagram, Personal - https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Powered by: Just Media House — https://www.justmediahouse.com/ #Hypermobility #hEDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #JointHypermobility #BendyBodies #DrLindaBluestein #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #POTS #MCAS #CentralSensitization #LowDoseNaltrexone #MedicalGaslighting #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #ConnectiveTissueDisorder #TarlovCyst #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices