double jointed? who cares!

What doest it mean to be Double Jointed?

here are many misunderstandings when it comes to the meaning of being double jointed. In one case, the term itself implies that double jointed people have twice the number of joints than normal human beings. Some even assume that double joints allow for twice the usual amount of motion. However, these meanings are myths. All human beings have the same number of bones and joints, all of which have similar capacities for movement. So what does it really mean to be double jointed?

If you are double jointed, it simply means that your joints and their surrounding structures, known as ligaments and tendons, are unusually flexible, enabling you to bend or rotate them in ways that other people find impossible and painful. Furthermore, you are able to stretch your joints, ligaments and tendons to a greater extent than commonly experienced by people with normal flexibility. For instance, there are circus performers who can bend their bodies to the back from the waist, locking their heads in between their legs. Other double jointed people can bend their thumbs the wrong way until the tips touch their hands.

From a medical viewpoint, being double jointed is synonymous with hypermobility. This is another misnomer, as 'hyper' indicates that which is too much. Double jointed people are not overextending their joints, but are rather allowing them to function to their fullest capability. It just so happens that this capability is beyond the typical person's ability for movement.

How does it happen?

Joints are the hinges that connect two or more bones together, allowing motion and movement to occur naturally in a particular direction. Ball-and-socket joints, however, are joints in which the rounded end of a bone fits into the hollow of another, allowing rotary movement in every direction. The opening or hollow in which the bones sit is called a socket. The depth of a socket determines the flexibility of that joint. Cartilage, a firm fibrous tissue made up of a protein called collagen, cushions bones at joints and is another factor that affects joint pliancy.

Extreme flexibility in double jointed people is caused by a combination of several factors. Double jointed people have a very shallow socket, enabling more movement in both directions. Where ball-and-socket joints are concerned, people with double joints can intentionally and painlessly dislocate the bone completely from its socket and then move it back into position again. Shallow sockets, combined with bone ends that are smoother than normal, also help joints slip and move easily in any direction. Ligaments and cartilage that stretch beyond the usual extent impact joint flexibility in the same way.

Does it matter?

We have all been double jointed at some point in our lives. A good example can be taken from our childhood, when we could bend from the waist and touch the tips of our fingers to the floor while keeping our legs straight. As we age, our ligaments, cartilage and bones harden, losing their suppleness. This is why any sports requiring extended flexibility, such as gymnastics or ballet, should be inculcated from a young age. So, being double jointed does not matter as long it as does not negatively impact our health and well-being.

. . . . . . . . . . . now thats y i can bend my fingers so easily. . . i tot i juz had cha bor-like hands. . . turns out to be more than that. . . . argh... nvm.... contented with a cursed body... i would definitely wish for more but nothing can be done. all i can do is accept. this is my body n this is how i treat it.

when my eyes are tired, i still strain them to see. thinking that the only thing stopping me is my mind. if i can overcome the mind then i can achieve anything. and i get wat i deserve. me without my glasses is like a blind man without his sunglasses n walking stick. we both look normal but cant reali see anything. I now remember that i muz also listen to my body.

when there is something reali heavy that i cannot lift. i will continue trying n trying n trying. thinking that on every try, i will get stronger. slowly lifting it bit by bit n finally to where i want it to be. i keep thinking that if i work it hard enough my arms can carry anything. my arm has done so much for me. now, it has be dislocated twice. even a simple swing from my own body can separate the ball and socket of my arm. i now remember that i am still human and 70% of the daily things we do, we do it with both arms.

when i fall down from a bike or down the stairs, i keep thinking that i will heal no matter wat happens. skinned knees are almost a close fren of me. there was a time when seeing my leg without an injury is equivalent to finding a four leaved clover. i tell myself all the time that i must not be afraid of falling down for if i'm so afraid , i wont achieve anything. now i have a scar that can never heal. i now remember that i'm not Claire Bannette nor a 'wu' n some falls CAN be fatal.

when i deal with my electrical experiments in the lab, i do not fear to try as i know the experiments are designed to be safe and will cause me minimal harm. i was stubborn thinking that my electrical knowledge is sufficient and will not in any way get electrocuted. but the truth is i'm juz an amateur. when i'm out of the lab and conducting my own experiments, i was 2 inches away from scaring my face. Blue sparks, that was able to melt away my multimeter probe(made of metal) in milliseconds, flew right pass my face. i now remember electricity is like fire, use it wisely n it will be useful, use it wrongly and it may just be Armageddon.



i now feel quite bad for the way i treated my body. well, this is wat i did n this is wat i deserve. seems pretty fair to me. i now feel actually quite happy i had this skinny little body. i could not ask for anything more. for i can proudly say that this body has endured thru quite a lot.Even that, i thank god for all those miserable experiences for it is by all this experiences we learn to be a better person.


hahaha! and after all this, I am indeed happy to be alive! i shall now treasure every moment and every body part. i will listen to my eyes, arms, legs and together with the rest. but i still refuse to let the fear of getting hurt mess with my daily life. i will still continue exploring the realm of uncertainties n will inevitably fall once more. thats juz me, i cant help it. its my calling. as long as i still have 2 arms n 2 legs n workable body parts, i will rise up gain.


i shall end the post with a nice saying i came across.

Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrow keeps you Human,
Failure keeps you Humble,
Success keeps you Glowing,
...but only Faith & Attitude Keeps you Going...

p/s : Thank you God for this wonderful body n beautiful life! i will take good care of it!