QUANTITATIVE MEASURES OF TISSUE ELASTICITY: Search of literature found four studies considered reliable for separating previously diagnosed hEDS/HSD patients from controls; based on soft tissue hyper-elasticity.
Assuming authors are correct, hyper-elastic tissue is highly associated with hEDS/HSD. It might be posited that hyper-elastic tissue is causally related to symptom constellations peculiar to hEDS/HSD.
If there is a causal relationship, then what might this/these relationship(s) be? Three Syndromes peculiar to hEDS/HSD are presented: CHRONIC PAIN, DYSAUTONOMIAS, & MCAS.
CHRONIC WIDESPREAD PAIN
(assuming unproven theory of central sensitization is incorrect):
Upright body towers of persons with hyper-elastic soft tissues experience greater difficulty maintaining upright posture.
(assuming unproven theory of central sensitization is incorrect):
Upright body towers of persons with hyper-elastic soft tissues experience greater difficulty maintaining upright posture.
Gravitational force would be expected to more greatly impose bio-mechanical “strain” on soft tissues of persons with hyper-elasticity.
Chronic soft tissue “strain”, defined in the Study as greater tissue compressibility (measured by ultrasound elastogram), was increased in persons with hEDS/HSD.
Compressed soft tissues are readily seen in ultrasound images of distal Vastus lateralis muscle/tendon during knee flexion/extension (@tendonimaging 2/3/20; see my adjacent retweet).
Chronically strained muscles & tendons are likely loci of painful anoxic ischemic muscle trigger points (after Dr. Shah, of NIH; ultrasound exams of Superior trapezium muscles) & also ...
chronic pain at loci of inflamed entheses at sites of insertion of tendons on bone prominences; the suspected 18 painful points diagnostic for Fibromyalgia.
DYSAUTONOMIAS:
Persons with hEDS/HSD are prone to multiple organ dysfunctions (functional disorders) mediated by Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) as follows:
Persons with hEDS/HSD are prone to multiple organ dysfunctions (functional disorders) mediated by Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) as follows:
Migraine, CRPS, Gastroparesis, POTS, Panic Attacks (Tachycardia), Vasovagal Syncope, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Interstitial Cystitis.
“Hyper-mobility connective tissue disorders are associated with Dysautonomias (POTS) & MCAS” (Lyons, 2016).
ANS dysfunctions are likely related to recurrent autonomic nerve tract impingement/stretch occurring at sites of contiguous hyper-mobile joints in persons with hyper-elasticity.
MAST CELL ACTIVATION SYNDROME (MCAS):
Connective tissue laxity has been noted to cause mast cell degranulation (Fowlkes et al, 2013).
Connective tissue laxity has been noted to cause mast cell degranulation (Fowlkes et al, 2013).
Stretch of the extracellular matrix induces mast cell degranulation (Wang et al, 2010; de Silva et al, 2014).
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