Hypermobility in 14-Year-Old Children in the UK
Author Information
Author(s): Jacqui Clinch, Kevin Deere, Adrian Sayers, Shea Palmer, Chris Riddoch, Jonathan Tobias, Emma M Clark
Primary Institution: Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
Hypothesis
The study aims to describe the point prevalence and pattern of hypermobility in 14-year-old children from a population-based cohort.
Conclusion
The prevalence of hypermobility in UK children is high, suggesting that the Beighton score cutoff of ≥4 may be too low for this age group.
Supporting Evidence
- 27.5% of girls and 10.6% of boys were found to be hypermobile.
- 45% of girls and 29% of boys had hypermobile fingers.
- Girls who were obese were 2.7 times more likely to be hypermobile.
Takeaway
Many 14-year-old kids in the UK are very flexible, and the way we check for this flexibility might need to change.
Methodology
A cross-sectional analysis using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, measuring hypermobility with the Beighton scoring system.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from preferential dropout of children from families of lower socioeconomic status.
Limitations
The study may have bias due to loss of a large proportion of the original cohort, and it cannot exclude confounding factors.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 14 years, with a mean age of 13.8 years, including both boys and girls.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.24–5.88
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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