You’re doing the work. You train consistently, eat well, and invest real effort trying to feel strong in your body. And still, the pain comes back.

Even with physical therapy, massage, and daily stretching, you somehow keep ending up right where you started.

If you’ve been told your imaging looks normal—or your doctor recommends yet another round of physical therapy that brings minimal relief—you deserve clarity. For many in Los Angeles, the missing piece is hypermobility syndrome, and finding the right specialist can finally give you a complete picture of what’s happening.

Many patients ultimately require a more advanced, fascia-focused model of care. Our sports medicine clinic in Beverly Hills is built around this approach, with evaluation and treatment designed to identify root causes rather than simply manage symptoms.

At The Fascia Institute and Treatment Center in Beverly Hills, Dr. Jacques Courseault focuses on structural, root-level drivers of pain that typical care often doesn’t catch.

What Is Hypermobility?

Hypermobility is when joints move beyond their usual range. Some people manage that flexibility easily, while others experience it as a sign of connective tissue dysfunction that produces real, measurable impairment.

The two most recognized hypermobility diagnoses are:

• Hypermobile-type Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)
• Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD)

Both involve weak connective tissue that affects how joints, fascia, and muscles hold up under everyday demands.

Because neither condition has a definitive genetic test—and diagnostic criteria continue to evolve—many patients spend years moving between providers who don’t recognize the problem.

Diagnosis can be particularly difficult because patients with hEDS and HSD often present with a constellation of symptoms well beyond joint pain.

Research published in 2025 by Dr. Courseault and his team in The American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation found that among 154 patients with hEDS, significant comorbidities—including autonomic dysfunction, anxiety, and gastrointestinal symptoms—appeared at rates that current diagnostic criteria don’t fully reflect.¹

That gap between clinical reality and formal diagnostic criteria is part of why so many patients remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years.

Emerging research also points to a potential metabolic dimension. Dr. Courseault and his colleagues have proposed that impaired folate metabolism—driven by common gene variants in the MTHFR enzyme—may play a role in connective tissue dysfunction.

In a 2024 study of 157 clinic patients published in ACR Open Rheumatology, 85% carried one or more MTHFR polymorphisms—a rate considerably higher than in the general population.²

This research is still developing, but it may help explain why many patients do not respond to standard care.

Why Hypermobility Is Overlooked in Los Angeles

In Los Angeles, hypermobility is easy to miss.

Drive, performance, and pushing through discomfort are part of the culture. Flexibility is praised. But what looks like an asset can quietly be part of the problem.

Active individuals with joint hypermobility often develop muscle tightness and stiffness as the body attempts to stabilize joints that lax connective tissue cannot support on its own.

From the outside, it can look like standard overuse or training-related discomfort. Underneath, the structure is different—and it requires a different approach to evaluation.

People who appear fit and high-functioning often have the severity of their symptoms minimized. But hypermobility pain is real, and joint instability is measurable—even when the underlying cause has been missed.

Even elite athletes have faced similar structural issues. NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has publicly sought treatment from Dr. Courseault, underscoring how easily connective tissue dysfunction can remain hidden in plain sight.

Why Pain Can Persist Even When You’re Doing Everything Right

A typical protocol for musculoskeletal pain focuses on:

• Stretching
• Strengthening
• Reducing inflammation

For some hypermobile patients, this can actually make things worse.

Stretching connective tissue that is already lax places additional strain on joints that need stability—not more range.

Massage and soft tissue work may provide temporary relief but often fail to address fascial adhesions and structural imbalances.

Standard physical therapy, while effective for many, is generally designed for individuals with normal connective tissue function.

Muscular tightness is often a symptom—not the root cause.

When joints lack dependable support, muscles and fascia tighten to compensate, creating chronic tension and recurring flare-ups. If treatment only targets symptoms, the pain tends to return.

Why Standard Treatments Often Fall Short

Most providers are trained to treat what they can clearly see and measure—and that is not a reflection of poor care.

Hypermobility and fascia-related dysfunction often fall outside the scope of standard clinical training.

What is frequently missed is fascia itself—the connective tissue network surrounding muscles, bones, organs, and nerves.

When fascia becomes restricted or adhered:

• Movement is impaired
• Pain persists
• Standard treatments become less effective

If fascia is not evaluated directly, even well-intentioned care can target the wrong issue.

Our Approach: Why Patients Finally Get Answers at FIT Beverly Hills

Fascial Mapping®

Developed by Dr. Courseault, Fascial Mapping® is a whole-body ultrasound evaluation used to assess fascia and identify structural sources of pain.

This is not a standard imaging study. It provides a comprehensive view of how connective tissue is functioning—revealing root causes rather than simply identifying where pain is felt.

Once these patterns are identified, a targeted treatment plan can be developed.

Hydrofascia Release

Hydrofascia Release directly targets problematic fascia and addresses tissue-level dysfunction that manual therapy alone may not resolve.

This minimally invasive, ultrasound-guided procedure involves injecting fluid into adhered fascial layers to:

• Separate restricted tissue
• Restore movement
• Reduce pain

Depending on individual needs, treatment may focus on calming inflammation or supporting longer-term fascial repair through a prolotherapy-based approach.

Prolotherapy

For hypermobile patients, prolotherapy stimulates the body’s natural healing response.

Rather than masking symptoms, it supports structural repair in connective tissue that often cannot heal effectively on its own.

Do These Symptoms Sound Familiar?

Many patients who come to FIT Beverly Hills share a similar history.

If several of the following apply to you, it may be worth pursuing an evaluation:

• Pain that shifts location
• Joint instability (popping or giving way)
• Recurring tightness despite doing the “right” recovery work
• Fatigue disproportionate to activity level
• Frequent injuries with slow healing
• Being told you are double-jointed or unusually flexible
• Tingling or numbness alongside musculoskeletal symptoms

Why Getting an Accurate Diagnosis Sooner Matters

Hypermobility is a lifelong condition, but early diagnosis can prevent years of worsening symptoms and ineffective treatments.

Research published by Dr. Courseault in 2023 in Heliyon suggests that without addressing underlying connective tissue dysfunction, patients may develop progressive fascial fibrosis and systemic complications that become increasingly difficult to manage.³

Understanding what you are actually dealing with changes what is possible.

It can:

• Reduce years of trial and error
• Improve treatment precision
• Open the door to more effective care

The earlier the diagnosis, the more options remain available.

Hypermobility Treatment in Los Angeles: Take the Next Step

The Fascia Institute and Treatment Center in Los Angeles is welcoming new patients at our Beverly Hills clinic.

Dr. Jacques Courseault evaluates and treats hypermobility, EDS, and fascia-related pain using advanced ultrasound diagnostics and individualized, physician-directed care.

No referral is needed.

Our approach is designed to identify and treat what other evaluations may have missed.

Call 323-443-3488 or request an evaluation online to schedule your specialized assessment.

We also welcome patients traveling from outside Los Angeles for advanced hypermobility care.

References

1. Ploeg AN, Courseault J, Cheng WS. Self-reported demographics of 154 hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome patients. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 2025;104(10):927–932.
2. Courseault J, Umar M, Bordnick P, et al. Prevalence of MTHFR polymorphisms in patients with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorders in a US hypermobility clinic. ACR Open Rheumatology. 2024;6(7):399–402.
3. Courseault J, Kingry C, Morrison V, et al. Folate-dependent hypermobility syndrome: a proposed mechanism and diagnosis. Heliyon. 2023;9(4):e15387.