The Hidden Connections Between ADHD, Hypermobility and EDS: When Your Body Has Been Trying to Tell You Something

Looking for further guidance and support on ADHD Women's Wellbeing? Check out my resource library here. The 'ADHD Women's Wellbeing Workshop Series' is on offer this July. Head here to learn more about the workshops and use code JULY to get 35% off.If you've been told your pain is growing pains, anxiety or just something you need to live with, this episode might be the beginning of finally understanding what's actually been going on in your body.On this week's episode of The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Podcast, I'm joined by Alexandra Orfanides, a London-based hypermobility specialist osteopath and founder of Hypermobility HQ.Alexandra hosts the Help! I'm Hypermobile podcast and is the author of the book of the same name. She believes that "incurable" does not mean "untreatable," and she's on a mission to help the hypermobile community feel seen, supported, and informed.In this episode, Alex and I talk about the significant overlap between hypermobility and neurodivergence, why so many women spend decades being dismissed or misdiagnosed, and what it actually means to understand your body through this lens. We also get into the difference between osteopathy and physiotherapy, how to recognise signs of hypermobility in children, and why self-treatment strategies are such a crucial part of managing a connective tissue condition day-to-day.In this episode, we cover:What hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorder actually are, and why the terminology mattersWhy growing pains are not a real diagnosis, and what to look for in children insteadThe strong correlation between hypermobility, ADHD and neurodivergenceHow conditions like endometriosis, PCOS and dysmenorrhea overlap with hEDS and HSDWhy gastrointestinal issues in children should never just be dismissed as IBSThe difference between osteopathy and physiotherapy, and how to find the right practitionerHow chronic pain, headaches and migraines can be connected to hypermobile connective tissueWhy rhythmic movement, including swimming and dancing, can be so regulating for hypermobile and neurodivergent bodiesThe importance of self-treatment strategies for people who can't always access clinic appointmentsWhy a diagnosis is a privilege, and how Help! I'm Hypermobile was written to reach the people who couldn't afford oneTimestamps: 00:00 - Welcome, and introducing Alexandra Orfanides 01:40 - Alex's personal story: growing up with undiagnosed pain 05:52 - From English literature to osteopathy 09:45 - Why hypermobility patients kept finding their way to Alex's clinic 11:46 - The overlap between hypermobility, ADHD and neurodivergence 14:12 - Osteopathy vs physiotherapy: what's the difference? 17:36 - Terminology: hEDS, HSD, condition vs disorder 20:30 - What patients are coming in knowing, and what they're not 23:57 - Signs to look for in children: growing pains, gut issues and more 28:15 - Endometriosis, PCOS and hormonal conditions in hypermobile bodies 30:39 - Migraines, headaches and the connection to the neck and connective tissue 36:32 - The gatekeeping problem and self-treatment strategies 39:24 - Working as a team with your patients 43:35 - Why Alex wrote Help! I'm Hypermobile 45:42 - How to work with Alex and what to expectLinks and Resources:Find my popular ADHD workshops and resources on my website [here].Follow the podcast on Instagram: @adhd_womenswellbeing_pod Visit Alexandra's website: hypermobilityhq.comConnect with Alexandra on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest: @hypermobilityhqListen to Alex's podcast: Help! I'm HypermobileGet Alex's book: Help! I'm Hypermobile: Your How-To Guide for hEDS, HSD, and Life in a Hypermobile BodyResearch: Gynaecological conditions in hEDS and HSD (Daylor et al., 2025): https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165636Research: Defining growing pains — a scoping review (O'Keeffe et al., 2022): https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-052578Kate Moryoussef is a women's ADHD lifestyle and wellbeing coach and EFT practitioner who helps overwhelmed and unfulfilled newly diagnosed women with ADHD find more calm, balance, hope, health, compassion, creativity, and clarity.