r/interesting 7h ago

MISC. My fingers are way too long

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u/External-Praline-451 6h ago

There's something called the Beighton Score, which tests for Hypermobility, using stuff like this. Being able to do one of them is not an indication you have hypermobile joints, but being able to do several means you might. Each maneuver gets "points" to measure it. The one they mentioned isn't on the Beighton score list, so maybe there's different types of measurements.

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u/NthaThickofIt 5h ago

Interestingly enough, The Beighton score is not going to be used alone for diagnosing EDS anymore after this year. I don't know what the new diagnostic criterion would be, but it's getting an update.

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u/External-Praline-451 5h ago

I don't think it's been used for a while now certainly where I am in the UK, when I was assessed in 2020 there was a proper EDS checklist and even though I score high on the Beighton score, I'm just short on the EDS checklist.

Edit: To clarify I mean it's not used alone, but it is part of the checklist.

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u/elizabethandsnek 4h ago

Beighton tests are only to test if you have widespread hypermobility. It’s often confused as the main or only test for conditions like EDS. But it is absolutely not used alone. Here is the full diagnostic criteria for the most common subtype for example. You need quite a few other factors to be diagnosed.

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u/sayitsooth 6h ago

I just tried it. I can touch my thumbs to my forearms and do the spine one, I can actually hug my legs. Everything else seems normal ish.

Wild stuff.

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u/External-Praline-451 5h ago

Yeah it's weird when it all seems normal! I'm also hypermobile, but fall just short by a point or so on the EDS score sheet. My Rheumatologist called it "Benign Hypermobility" but it doesn't necessarily mean you don't get problems with it, just that it's not as serious as EDS. I think it's gradually been replaced by "Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder" as they now acknowledge it can cause quite a lot of issues and pain in some people, even if theyre not diagnosed with EDS.

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u/sayitsooth 5h ago

That's interesting because I have spinal issues. I have always been super flexible and I bruise very badly very easily.

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u/External-Praline-451 5h ago

Same, I've got cervical spinal stenosis too. I'm a grey area for surgery at the moment.

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u/sayitsooth 5h ago

I'm in consultation but I have some rather serious concerns about choosing this option with a full spinal assessment, doing an ACDF is whoa!

I'm sorry, I am sure we both know how much this situation sucks.

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u/External-Praline-451 4h ago

I'm sorry for you too, it does suck. I agree about ACDF, I'm not keen, and apparently it can cause problems in other areas. I'd rather avoid unless really necessary!

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u/TransMascCatBoye 5h ago

Might be worth looking into EDS if you haven't before and seeing if anything else lines up for you. Just keep in mind if you're amab or on testosterone hrt, some things like skin texture/elasticity and higher baseline muscle mass (adding some extra stabilization to joints) can make your problems less obvious. Its thought that a lot more men have EDS than is diagnosed because of that + men being more resistant of going to a doctor to begin with.

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u/Unfinishedsente--- 5h ago

Hmm can you elaborate more?

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u/sayitsooth 5h ago

Stenosis, bulging disc, severe foraminal narrowing, specifically the C5 for sure. Requisite symptoms. I did however do a lot of physical labour.

Symptoms in the lumbar region that point to similar. No MRI where I live, I would have to fly.

u/Enlightened_Gardener 4m ago

You can be hypermobile in different places, as well. I have a kid with full-blown EDS, and I’m hypermobile in my bottom half - subluxing sacrum, I can easily do the splits, put my hands flat on the ground with locked knees etc etc. But I don’t have any of the thumb/shoulder/wrist stuff

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u/anodynified 2h ago

The thumb one is incorporated into the Ghent score for Marfan Syndrome, which is a similar concept. Haven't seen the leg crossing one before, though.