Precision Medicine Project – Understanding the relationship between autism and hypermobility

Background

Hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) are connective tissue disorders characterised by pain, joint instability, dislocations, and fatigue. Autism is a complex developmental condition characterized by differences in social interaction, speech and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors.

Epidemiological studies demonstrate an association between autism and hypermobility: autistic people are significantly more likely to be hypermobile compared with non-autistic non-autistic people (31-39% vs 0.6-5%), and hypermobile people are more likely to be autistic (Baeza-Velasco et al., 2025; Simpson et al., 2005). Both autism and hypermobility are complex, lifelong, polygenic, heterogeneous conditions, and their diversity makes it difficult to generalise about their relationship. Both autistic and hypermobile people are likely to have issues relating to sensory processing and autonomic dysregulation, as well as experiencing poorer health outcomes and health inequalities. Some shared pathways have been suggested, relating to connective tissue and neurological development (Casanova et al., 2020).