Joint Hyperextension Treatment, Recovery, and More

Hyperextension is an injury that occurs when a joint is forced beyond its normal, healthy range of motion. This can make the joint unstable and increase the risk and likelihood of dislocation or other potential joint injuries.

Hyperextension can happen in any joint. For example, bending the knee backward can cause a ligament tear, and a sudden overextension of the neck can cause a whiplash injury.

This article discusses joint hyperextension injuries, what causes them, and how they are treated. It also goes over what you can expect while you recover.

Hyperextension and Range of Motion

Most of the body’s joints allow for certain movements. A few joints, like joints in the skull, do not.

The joints that allow movements, such as the knee, ankle, and spine, have a range of motion. This range of motion describes how far a joint can move or bend comfortably in each direction, and it is usually measured in degrees. Each individual joint has a specific range of motion that is determined by the position of the bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles that make up the joint.

For example, you can move your neck to a certain extent in each direction, but if you turn your neck too far in one particular direction, you can feel pain, and injuries can occur. Hyperextension injuries are common in the following areas:

• Knee
• Neck
• Shoulder
• Elbows
• Wrists
• Fingers

Recovering From a Hyperextension Injury

Hyperextension injuries are usually treated conservatively with rest and pain management. Your healthcare provider might recommend RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Avoid using the affected joint as much as possible. Apply ice at 10- to 20-minute intervals every hour (remove the ice when the area starts to feel numb). If possible, wear a compression sleep or an elastic bandage on the injury, and keep it elevated above your heart to reduce swelling.

It may take a few weeks to a month to recover from a hyperextension injury. Check with your healthcare before resuming your normal activities.

Hyperextension in Exercise

In terms of physical fitness, hyperextension movements are often involved in exercises that are designed to restore a normal range of motion. For example, you may need range of motion exercises for your elbow while recovering from an injury.

One type of hyperextension exercise can be performed by lying face down on the floor and then lifting the arms and the torso off the ground while keeping the hips and lower body even and grounded. This movement stretches muscles in the lower back.

There are also types of equipment commonly found in gyms that can be used to perform hyperextension exercises. If you are unsure of which pieces of equipment to use for hyperextension exercises, ask a member of the staff at your gym.

Summary

Joint hyperextension is when the joint is forced to move beyond its normal range of motion. This can cause injury, such as a ligament tear in the knee. Hyperextension injuries are usually treated conservatively with rest and pain management.

Hyperextension can also be used to describe certain stretching exercises that can help you recover from an injury.