Collagen- more important than you think

Before I found out I had hypermobility syndrome and began a never ending biology lesson, I thought collagen was just a cosmetic thing. I knew about ‘collagen fillers’ that you get injected into your face to make lips plumper and wrinkles less prominent. I didn’t have any idea just how important it was in your body or how much my lack of it would impact my life.

When I was newly diagnosed and became aware of the syndrome I started seeing the word collagen everywhere. Probably because I was paying more attention to the word, but also because actually, it’s a big part of being a human. I remember buying a lipstick about three years ago that said it was like ‘magical cherry colored collagen’ and made your lips look like you may be distantly related to Kim Kardashian. This then made me think that my joints must be all shriveled and fragile looking and definitely not anything like Kim K.

Collagen is actually the most abundant protein in humans and makes up 30% of the protein content of the body. It can be found everywhere, even in your eyes. It is in your gut, bones, blood vessels, skin, ligaments and tendons; quite the popular protein. It’s very important for strengthening those parts of the body and extremely important to skin. Skin gets its elasticity from collagen and when production starts to slow with age, we start to get wrinkles. I guess this the stage where you start buying ‘magical collagen’ products and letting a man in a lab coat inject some into your face and tell you look fabulous.

I’ve often read that collagen is the super glue of the body, which makes sense to hypermobility sufferers, as they often feel like their joints are falling apart because they are lacking in it. The lack of collagen means a distinct lack of strength in joints, meaning the muscles work harder to keep us going.

Millions of people buy into ways of making collagen produce more rapidly when they get older, meaning they can retain a more youthful look. Let’s face it, it would be ideal if we could just inject some extra collagen into joints or buy a nice collagen rich moisturiser and feel all the pains and aches fade away. Since this sadly isn’t an option, it is vital for hypermobility sufferers to strengthen muscles as much as possible. The stronger they are, the easier they will find it to do the extra work. Imagine coming home after a long day and then immediately having to start hours of extra work with no rest or food. This is what it’s like for muscles. Obviously hypermobility stops some people from having the ability to exercise at all, so small, tiny baby steps to start with are just as important, even if it feels like what you are doing is pointless. Trying is half the battle.

My first ever physio, who was brilliant but went on her honeymoon to Hawaii, never returned and is 

probably currently drinking from a coconut, told me that with hypermobility, what you lack in collagen, you must gain in strength. A nice little piece of advice. Someone should make a cushion with the words sewn on or something.

Enemies of hypermobility

There’s a lot to deal with when you are hypermobile. You have to take so many things into consideration before you do simple tasks that you probably start to feel like your joints are needy little people that live on your body. Or just a massive pain in the backside. Either works. You also begin to form strong enemies in the form of normal everyday tasks. The sort of tasks that wouldn’t normally spark a second thought, until you find your shoulder popping out or your hip jarring and completely taking away your ability to move.

My list of hypermobility enemies changes often. For every object or task that I learn to use differently or just stop using, another one appears.

Current top 5 enemies:

1)      The shower. Probably top of a lot of people’s lists. The hot weather means you are more likely to need more showers (something users of the London underground should take on board). Hair washing is hard, right? The reaching up and rubbing your head and trying to ignore the clicking and grinding happening in both shoulders. Let’s not even mention trying to dry hair. Then there’s the body scrubbing and making sure you get every last bit of conditioner out of your hair. Back ache, shoulder ache, wrist ache, neck ache. So many aches. You can’t even really stand under really hot water and let it massage your back

because it’s so unbearably humid. So many shower issues.

2)      Changing bed sheets. This is a mountain to climb at the best of times. It’s annoying and no matter how many times I try, I can never just make it happen in seconds like my mum. Reaching across the bed to put on sheets and then wrestling the duvet into the cover leaves my shoulders feeling tight and angry and generally ready for a few hours sulking. It usually requires a short break in between duvet and pillow covers to sit and contemplate life and massage a joint or two.

3)      Moisturising and sun cream. This is a new one for me. I’m trying to do it every day because apparently it’s good for your skin and makes you look nicer. At first I thought I was winning as I can moisturise my back by bending my arms in mysterious and should-be-impossible ways to reach everywhere; then something clicks or jars or feels like it might fall off. It’s also tiring by the time you get to your feet. Even toes need suncream.

4)      Furniture. Okay, so moving furniture is not an everyday activity, or at least it shouldn’t be if you have hypermobility syndrome. I did some furniture moving and culling two weeks ago and still can’t completely straighten one arm. Some of it was no heavier than my bag I take to work and I even did the bending at the knees thing that health and safety people love, yet I will never move furniture again. My shoulder, back, ankles, wrists and fingers were outraged. My right arm is still a bit outraged and is a constant reminder that I will never work in the moving business.

5)      Summer shoes. It’s hot and no one wants sweaty feet. I have a vast collection of flip flops and sandals and other shoes that are made for sunny days and sitting in the park. Unfortunately when you have hips that are fragile and like to make sudden moved in their sockets, flimsy shoes with little support apart from some sewn on daisies and a buckle just don’t cut it. Since the heat wave set in I have been tripping over and limping because of wearing sandals. All I want is to wear a dress without channeling Lily Allen circa 2005 in trainers. 

Core Stability For Hypermobility

My first ever Core Stability class terrified and debilitated me. It was not ideal. I turned up really excited wearing lots of lycra, with my weird joints in tow and left feeling like I may just sleep in the park outside because it wasn't raining and the ten minute walk home was too much. However, this is just because I did a few things wrong. Number one: I didn't seek proper advice from the instructor despite him asking me if there was anything he should know about and if I needed help (“no I’m fine, I’m actually an Olympian.”) I told him about the hypermobility but should have actually asked specifically which weights I should go for and so on. Number 2: I picked up the lightest weight and put it down. Massive error. I needed to use that tiny weight. My weak arms and shoulders were not prepared for a real, hard work out and they most certainly let me know it.

I've been told so many times by physios and my GP and a rheumatologist that it’s important to have good core strength when you’re hypermobile. It’s basically the scripted sentence they all throw at you when you ask what you can do to help. For ages I did simple physio exercises at home but they didn't help much and my dog chewed through my thera-band. I don’t miss it. It was offensively yellow and smelt like sick and never did much to help my shoulders.

Thera-band fan

My housemate (also hypermobile) joined a gym and went to core stability and convinced me it was a good idea. So along I went. As I said, I went in too hard, too ill-informed and couldn't move the next day. Actually, the next five days. I couldn't bend, lower myself into chairs, get on and off the tube or get dressed without extensively groaning and feeling like the end was near. It was AWFUL. I had to pep-talk myself to walk down the stairs in my house and at the tube station and only left my desk at work for the fire alarm and other emergencies like starvation.

The silly mistakes I made however, were rectified by dusting off and starting again. Lightest weights, lots of warming up, and knowing when to just take a break even if no one else. Three classes later and it’s brilliant. My shoulders ache less, I can carry more, my back feels better and I can do a plank without shaking and falling over immediately. If you are able and want to do something improve your strength and joints, go for this. Start slow, very slow, and work your way to heavier weights slowly. Start with no weights if necessary. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to get used to it, it really helps.

The class I go to starts with stretching and then involves lots of squatting and bending and planking, so it is necessary to stop every now and then to rest and not upset your joints too much. Don’t worry about the people who don’t break a sweat or look like they could do it with the rest of the class sitting on their back. They are most probably not of this planet or incredibly fit gym enthusiasts who don’t have the same problems as you.

It is important to work on your core. It is. It’s also a good way to tone up and you can definitely feel the difference after a few sessions. I still ache the next day every time but it’s now a good ache. The sort of ache where you think ‘I ache so I can eat what I want because I go to the gym and I am amazing.’

If you do take this up, make sure the instructor is a good one and knows about hypermobility and asks you about your fitness before you start. if you are looking for a gym, see if there is a Better branch near you. it's a bargain for a membership with classes and they do lots of good activities at all levels. http://www.better.org.uk/ Also take it very slow if you are new to this sort of exercise. Not being able to put your own socks on for the best part of week is not winning at life. 

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