Most people know ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) as a difference in attention, activity and impulsivity. Fewer know that it often turns up alongside hypermobility, where joints move further than usual. One is about how the brain works and the other is about connective tissue, so at first they look unrelated. Research over the last few years suggests they are connected more often than chance would explain, with links to the nervous system, pain and sensory processing.
This post covers what hypermobility is, what the evidence actually says about the overlap, and what it means at work for people who have both.
What is hypermobility?
Hypermobility means joints that move beyond the typical range. Plenty of people are simply flexible and never have a problem. For others it comes with pain, fatigue and injuries, and may be diagnosed as a condition such as:
- Joint hypermobility syndrome, now often called hypermobility spectrum disorder, where flexibility comes with ongoing pain or other effects
- Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), one type of a group of inherited connective tissue conditions
The NHS lists the common signs as tiredness that does not go away with rest, pain and stiffness in joints or muscles, repeated sprains or dislocations, poor balance or coordination, thin stretchy skin, and bladder or bowel problems. Some people have no problems at all.
What the research says about ADHD and hypermobility
The most cited UK study is Csecs and colleagues (2022) in Frontiers in Psychiatry. They assessed 109 adults with a diagnosis of autism, ADHD or Tourette syndrome. Around 51% had generalised joint hypermobility, compared with 17.5% of a comparison group and about 20% in general population data. The neurodivergent group also reported much higher levels of dizziness on standing and of musculoskeletal pain, and hypermobility appeared to account for part of that link.
The authors are clear about the limits. It was a cross-sectional study with a modest sample, symptoms were self-reported, and the general population figure came from adolescent data. So the evidence points to a real association, but nobody yet knows exactly why the two go together.
Possible explanations
Researchers have suggested a few reasons, none of them proven:
- The autonomic nervous system. This system runs heart rate, blood pressure and digestion. Hypermobility is linked with conditions such as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which causes dizziness and a racing heart on standing, and these effects seem more common in neurodivergent people.
- Shared biology. Connective tissue is found throughout the body, including around the nervous system. Some researchers think the same genetic factors that affect collagen may also influence brain development.
- Body awareness and sensory processing. Hypermobile joints can make it harder to sense where your body is in space (proprioception), which shows up as clumsiness or bumping into things. ADHD is also associated with sensory differences, so the two can compound each other.
What this means day to day
Pay attention to physical signs
If you have ADHD and also live with unexplained joint pain, tiredness or coordination problems, it is worth raising hypermobility with your GP. A GP can refer you to a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or podiatrist. The NHS advice centres on building muscle strength and fitness to protect the joints.
Think about energy and sensory load together
Pain, fatigue and sensory overload feed each other. Many people find it helps to plan the day around energy, build in movement breaks and reduce background noise and visual clutter where they can.
Talk to your doctor about medication
Stimulant medication for ADHD can raise heart rate and blood pressure. If you also have dizziness or other autonomic signs, make sure the doctor managing your ADHD knows about them. Our guide to ADHD medication in the workplace covers what employers need to understand.
ADHD and hypermobility at work
Most of the barriers here come from the environment rather than the person. A fixed desk, long meetings, a noisy open-plan office and a rigid 9 to 5 can be hard work for someone managing joint pain, fatigue and ADHD at the same time. Simple reasonable adjustments often make a big difference:
- ergonomic chairs, sit-stand desks and supportive keyboards or mice
- flexible start times and the option to work from home on high pain or low energy days
- permission to move, stretch or take short breaks in meetings
- written follow-ups after meetings and help with planning and prioritising
Both are easy to miss. Hypermobility is usually invisible, and there are several reasons ADHD often goes undetected in adults until well into their working lives. Managers who understand ADHD in the workplace are far better placed to have a useful conversation when someone asks for support.
How Enna can help
For employers, a workplace needs assessment is the most direct route to adjustments that fit someone with ADHD and hypermobility, covering both the physical set-up and how work is organised. Our supporting and managing neurodivergent employees workshop helps managers respond well when health and neurodivergence overlap. Book a call if you would like to talk through a situation in your team.
If you are looking for an employer that takes this seriously, browse the Enna jobs board or set up job alerts so new roles come straight to you.
