Turkish Version of The Upper Limb Hypermobility Assessment Tool

Turkish Version of The Upper Limb Hypermobility Assessment Tool : Reliability and Validity

Hypermobility is more than normal joint laxity, mobility, and range of motion. It is characterized by increased laxity and fragility of connective tissues. Symptoms from hypermobility can begin at any age and affect women more than men. People are at higher risk than other people. It is stated that hypermobility is an important factor in orthopedic injuries and diseases. Individuals with hypermobility have more frequent orthopedic complaints and the problems are usually idiopathic and chronic. Studies have reported that proprioception and musculoskeletal reflex function may be affected independently of symptoms in hypermobile individuals. Therefore, evaluating hypermobility is very important in preventing hypermobility-related problems and injuries and developing appropriate treatment methods. Although the Beighton score is the most commonly used scoring method to determine hypermobility, it may be insufficient to determine hypermobility of the upper extremities. The Upper Limb Hypermobility Assessment Tool (ULHAT) has been reported to be one of the most appropriate scoring methods for assessing upper extremity hypermobility in the literature. The aim of this study is to adapt ULHAT to Turkish and measure its validity and reliability.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy volunteers
• Aged between 18 to 35

Exclusion Criteria:

• Using assistive devices or orthoses for the upper extremity
• Surgery history of the upper extremity
• Pain located on the upper extremity in the last 6 months
• Previous trauma that might restrict normal range of motion.
• Having degenerative or inflamatuar disease