Prevalence of Hypermobility Among Singers: A Pilot Study

Joint hypermobility (JH) is a trait characterized by excessive range of motion of joints. JH is often a feature of larger syndromic collagen disorders affecting musculoskeletal, organ, nervous system, and mental-emotional function (Blajwajs et al., 2023; Castori et al., 2017). Historically, research on joint hypermobility as it relates to performing artists has focused on dancers, gymnasts (Day et al., 2011), and instrumental musicians (Hoppmann et al., 1989), not singers. Given that singing is a physically demanding activity (Lawrence, 2022), requiring not only a functional physical structure but also proprioceptive memory (di Carlo et al., 2008) and positive mental-emotional health (Beck et al., 2006), the potential for JH to negatively impact singers in their training and career is high. This pilot study aims to measure the prevalence of joint hypermobility and associated syndromic features in a purposive sample of adults aged 18 to 50 years who self-identify as singers. Data will provide preliminary insight into the relevance of hypermobility to singing and offer a point of entry for singers, teachers of singers, and any medical professionals treating singers to understand the potential impact of hypermobility on singers. Data will also implicate future research to measure prevalence in a larger randomized sample of singers in order to promote generalizability.