Ligamentous laxity

{{Short description|Looseness of the ligaments}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox medical condition (new) | name = Ligamentous laxity | synonyms = | image = Doublejointedfinger.JPG | caption = Hypermobile finger | pronounce = | field = [[Orthopaedics]], [[Medical genetics]] | symptoms = | complications = | onset = | duration = | types = | causes = | risks = | diagnosis = | differential = | prevention = | treatment = | medication = | prognosis = | frequency = | deaths = }}

'''Ligamentous laxity''' or '''ligament laxity''' can appear in a variety of ways and levels of severity.

In most people, ligaments (which are the tissues that connect bones to each other) are naturally tight in such a way that the joints are restricted to 'normal' ranges of motion. This creates normal joint stability. If muscular control does not compensate for ligamentous laxity, [[joint instability]] may result. The trait is almost certainly [[hereditary]], and is usually something the affected person would just be aware of, rather than a serious medical condition. However, if there is widespread laxity of other connective tissue, then this may be a sign of [[Ehlers–Danlos syndrome]], [[Down syndrome]], [[Klippel–Feil syndrome]], [[juvenile idiopathic arthritis]], [[Larsen syndrome]], [[Marfan syndrome]], [[osteogenesis imperfecta]], and other medical conditions.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Quinones-Hinojosa |first=Alfredo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2MsqEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22ligamentous+laxity%22&pg=PA1957 |title=Schmidek and Sweet: Operative Neurosurgical Techniques: Schmidek and Sweet: Operative Neurosurgical Techniques E-Book |date=2021-04-22 |publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences |isbn=978-0-323-41519-4 |pages=1937 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kumar |first=M. N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MdvuDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22ligamentous+laxity%22&pg=PA408 |title=Orthopedics and Trauma: Principles and Practice |date=2016-01-01 |publisher=Wolters kluwer india Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-93-5129-508-2 |pages=408 |language=en}}</ref>

Ligamentous laxity may also result from injury, such as from a vehicle accident. It can result from whiplash and be overlooked for years by doctors who are not looking for it, despite the [[chronic pain]] that accompanies the resultant spinal instability. Ligamentous laxity will show up on an upright [[magnetic resonance imaging]] (MRI), the only kind of MRI that will show soft tissue damage. It can only be inferred from a digital motion x-ray.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Use of flexion and extension radiographs of the cervical spine to rule out acute instability in patients with negative computed tomography scans.|pmid=21085024|doi=10.1097/BOT.0b013e3181dc54bf|volume=25|date=January 2011|journal=J Orthop Trauma|pages=51–56|vauthors=Khan SN, Erickson G, Sena MJ, Gupta MC |issue=1|s2cid=38013996}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == {{Medical resources | DiseasesDB = | ICD10 = {{ICD10|M|24|2|m|20}} | ICD9 = {{ICD9|728.4}} | ICDO = | OMIM = | MedlinePlus = | eMedicineSubj = | eMedicineTopic = | MeshID = }}

[[Category:Skeletal disorders]]