Hypermobility and Pain: How PRP Can Stabilize Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)
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Published in The Ospina Orthopedic Blog ~ 5 min read ~ Last Updated: December 5, 2025
Living with "Loose Glue"
For patients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), particularly the hypermobile type (hEDS), the world can feel unstable. Because your body produces collagen that is more elastic than typical—often described as having "loose glue"—your ligaments and tendons struggle to hold your joints securely in place.
This chronic laxity leads to a cycle of instability: joints subluxate (partially dislocate) or extend beyond their normal range, causing micro-trauma to the surrounding tissues. Over time, this results in chronic pain, muscle spasms (as muscles overwork to stabilize the joint), and early-onset osteoarthritis. Patients often report "clunking" sensations, recurrent sprains without significant trauma, and a feeling that their joints are "slipping" out of place.
Standard orthopedic care often fails EDS patients. Surgery to tighten ligaments frequently fails because the underlying tissue quality is poor; suturing "loose glue" often results in the tissue stretching out again. Physical therapy is essential but often insufficient on its own, as muscles cannot fully compensate for ligamentous failure. At Ospina Medical, we offer a different path: using Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) to target the root cause—the laxity itself.
The Science of Tightening: How PRP Helps
Regenerative Orthopedics offers a unique mechanism for EDS patients: proliferation. Unlike steroid injections, which reduce inflammation but can weaken tissue (a disaster for EDS patients), PRP is pro-inflammatory in a controlled, beneficial way.
When we inject PRP by Regenexx—a super-concentrated formula of your own platelets—into lax ligaments and joint capsules, we release growth factors that initiate a healing cascade. This process stimulates the production of new collagen fibers. As this new collagen matures, it becomes denser and tighter than the original lax tissue.
Specifically, PRP has been shown to increase tenocyte (tendon cell) viability, proliferation, and collagen production in vitro. In vivo studies have reported superior ligament repair and mechanical properties following PRP treatment. Essentially, we are helping your body "tighten the screws" on your loose joints. This can lead to:
- Improved Joint Stability: Reduced frequency of subluxations.
- Decreased Pain: Less strain on the joint and surrounding muscles.
- Enhanced Function: The ability to move with more confidence.
A case report from 2020 demonstrated that PRP injections in an EDS patient resulted in significant pain reduction and improved joint stability, suggesting it as a viable therapy for managing EDS-related pain. Furthermore, systematic reviews indicate that PRP therapy can exhibit clinical usefulness in both pain reduction and functional improvement for patients with chronic joint instability.
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The "Premier" Difference: Why Concentration Matters
Not all PRP is created equal, and this distinction is critical for EDS patients. Bedside centrifuge machines typically produce PRP that is only 2-3 times the concentration of blood and often contains red blood cells, which can be irritating and pro-inflammatory in a detrimental way.
Dr. Matthew Kohler utilizes the Regenexx lab processing platform to create a much more potent injectate. We can customize the concentration to be much higher (often 10x-20x) and remove inflammatory contaminants like red and white blood cells. For EDS patients, who may have systemic sensitivities (like Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or MCAS), this pure, high-dose preparation is often tolerated better and provides a more robust tightening effect. This high concentration is key to stimulating the sluggish healing response often found in connective tissue disorders.
A Comprehensive Approach for the Zebra
In the medical world, rare conditions are often referred to as "zebras." We know that treating EDS requires looking at the whole zebra, not just a single stripe.
Our approach at Ospina Medical is comprehensive. We understand that EDS patients often have multi-joint involvement. We may treat the cervical spine to reduce headaches and neck instability, or target the SI joints to improve walking tolerance. We also recognize the importance of concurrent physical therapy to retrain muscles to stabilize the newly tightened joints. Prolotherapy, using dextrose, is another tool we may use for milder cases or maintenance, but for significant laxity, the growth factor power of Regenexx PRP is often our preferred line of defense.
Conclusion
If you have EDS, you know that finding a doctor who understands your condition is rare. Dr. Matthew Kohler and the team at Ospina Medical are dedicated to providing evidence-based, compassionate care for the EDS community. By leveraging the tightening and strengthening power of Regenexx PRP, we aim to offer you not just pain relief, but a new level of stability in your life.
A Riley Publication ~ Branded Thought Leadership by Riley Partners and Publications, Inc.
Medically Reviewed by: Matthew Kohler, MD