Prevalence and dynamic characteristics of generalized joint hypermobility in college students
Abstract
Background Generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) is a common, but often ignored, condition characterized by general joint laxity, which is reported to increase one's risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and osteoarthritis. Nevertheless, it is not clearly learned in the prevalence and dynamic characteristics in college students.Research question Is the active motion stability in the six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) kinematics of the knee joint of people with GJH poorer than that of others?Methods This is a cross-sectional study. A population of 489 college students was recruited who was divided into two groups: a GJH group (Beighton score ≥ 4, n = 54) and a normal group (Beighton score < 4, n = 435). A paper questionnaire with questions about the participants' demographic characteristics and musculoskeletal disorder symptoms was collected. A three-dimensional gait analysis system was used to collect the participants' knee joint kinematic parameters during treadmill walking. Variables were evaluated using independent t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.Results The prevalence of GJH was found to be 11.0 % among college students. Participants with GJH exhibited a greater active range of motions in the anterior/posterior translation than the normal (P = 0.026). Participants with GJH exhibited greater flexion at the end of the terminal stance (P = 0.039) and greater anterior translation of the tibia during almost the whole gait period than the normal group (P＜0.05) during the treadmill gait. A greater external angle was found in GJH group during the periods of middle stance (P = 0.008).Significance GJH with a prevalence of 11.0 % among college students should be paid attention. Poor active motion stability in anterior/posterior translation may play an important role in the development of knee joint instability, potentially resulting in subsequent ACL deficiency and the development of knee osteoarthritis among people with GJH.
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Studies of college students (typical ages between 18 and 24) report a GJH prevalence between 11%-12.5% and other studies between 12.5%-26%.
“Studies of “college students” (typical ages between 18 and 24) report a GJH prevalence between 11%-12.5%[16,17] and other between 12.5%-26%.[2,18,19]”
From Hypermobility spectrum disorders: A review (2023) · cites this paper as [16]
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- Authors
- Zhong, G., Zeng, X., Xie, Y., Lai, J., Wu, J., Xu, H., Lin, C., Li, H., Cui, C., Ma, L., Li, L., Huang, W., & Zhang, Y.
- Affiliations
- Shantou University Medical College (CN)
- Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences (CN)
- Shantou University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Li, Liping
- Huang, Wenhan
- Zhang, Yu
- Venue
- Gait & Posture
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-02
- Volume
- 84
- Pages
- 254-259
- ISSN
- 0966-6362 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3112537591
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2
- FWCI
- 1.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Gait & Posture (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (31700880, 81972126)
- National College Students Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (201810560128)
- High-level Hospital Construction Project of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (KJ012019100)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Connective tissue disorders research
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Lower Extremity Biomechanics and Pathologies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Knee injuries and reconstruction techniques
- Keywords
- generalized joint hypermobility, prevalence, university students, knee kinematics, Beighton score, knee instability, anterior tibial translation, gait analysis, ACL injury risk, knee osteoarthritis risk
- MeSH terms
- Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Joint Instability, Male, Prevalence, Range of Motion, Articular, Healthy Volunteers
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