Can You Be Too Flexible? Why Hypermobility Might Be Slowing Your Stride

Dayna Player Robinson
4 days ago
3 min read

Are You Hypermobile?

What Runners Need to Know (and Test for Themselves)

If you’ve ever been called “double-jointed,” felt like your ankles roll too easily, or wondered why your hamstrings never seem to “tighten up,” you might be more mobile than you realize.

And that’s not always a good thing—especially for runners.

Why Hypermobility Matters for Runners

Running is repetitive. Every stride relies on a stable chain of joints—ankles, knees, hips—working efficiently to transfer force forward. But when your joints move too much (hello, hypermobility), your muscles and connective tissues have to work overtime to stabilize.

Over thousands of steps, that extra movement can lead to overuse injuries, inefficient mechanics, and fatigue.

Exercise Therapist Association owner Brendan Fox developed a simple Hypermobility Assessment that helps you understand where you fall on the mobility–stability spectrum. I love using it with my runners because it’s quick, clear, and super helpful for guiding training focus.

The Hypermobility Self-Assessment (9-Point Test)

You can do this at home! In my video series, I walk you through all 5 key assessments from the Exercise Therapist Association. Score yourself as you go—your total can range from 0–9.

Here’s how to interpret your score:

🟢 0–2: Normal Mobility

This is where most runners fall. Your joints are stable, and injuries usually stem from muscle tightness or imbalance rather than joint laxity.

Focus on:

Adding regular stretching, mobility, and soft tissue work (foam rolling, massage)
Maintaining balanced flexibility
Using dynamic warm-ups before runs and gentle stretching after

Think: “Keep it moving, not just strong.”

🟡 3–4: Mild Hypermobility

You’re a little on the bendy side—lucky you… kind of. This means some of your joints move beyond the ideal range, and if you stretch indiscriminately, you might actually make things worse.

Focus on:

Stretch with purpose—only what’s truly short or tight
Prioritize controlled mobility (like active range work, not passive holds)
Add stability work in your strength sessions (glute med, deep core, single-leg balance)

Think: “Stretch smarter, not more.”

🔴 5–9: Progressive Hypermobility

Your joints move freely—maybe too freely. Static stretching won’t help you much here; it may even increase instability. What you need is strength.

Focus on:

Spend your “stretching time” doing strength training
Prioritize eccentric control (think slow lowers and single-leg work)
Add resistance bands and stability drills
Build body awareness—control through range, not just flexibility

Think: “Strong > stretchy.”

Why This Matters for Your Training

Understanding your mobility type changes everything about how you train, recover, and prevent injury. When I assess runners, I see patterns:

Tight runners crave stretching but often neglect mobility work.
Hypermobile runners crave movement but need muscle strength to control it.

Knowing your score gives you clarity. It tells you what to stop wasting time on and where to focus so every run feels better and your risk of injury drops.

Bottom line:

You don’t need to be more flexible to be a better runner—you need the right balance of mobility and stability for your body. And that starts with understanding where you are today.

Don't let mobility hold you back from your running goals.

-Dayna, your favorite Exercise Physiologist

Want more help?

Our Running Strong program works on all areas of the strength needed to get your runner to their best. If you are hypermobility - this is even MORE important. Click to join.

If you need help with your running, our Running Assessment has all the tools for you! Muscle imbalance testing, form help for injury prevention and performance goals, and 8-weeks of personalized strength exercises.