Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2025
Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable
Published on: May 17, 2024
Assessing Joint Hypermobility, Proprioception, and Developmental Functioning in Toddlers Born Preterm
Bilge Nur Yardımcı-Lokmanoğlu1, Akmer Mutlu1
1Hacettepe University Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Developmental and Early Physiotherapy Unit, Ankara, Turkey.
Insights
Joint hypermobility does not impact proprioception or motor development in preterm toddlers. Further research suggests movement repetition and other sensory inputs are key for early development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neonatal Research
- Motor Control
Background:
- Preterm birth can affect early development.
- Joint hypermobility is common in infants and toddlers.
- Proprioception is crucial for motor development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate joint hypermobility, proprioception, and development in preterm toddlers.
- To compare proprioception and development between preterm toddlers with and without joint hypermobility.
- To examine the relationship between joint hypermobility, proprioception, and development.
Main Methods:
- 112 preterm toddlers (24-42 months) were assessed.
- Joint hypermobility was measured using the Beighton Score.
- Developmental functioning was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III).
- Proprioception assessment was feasible in 49.11% of participants due to cooperation challenges.
Main Results:
- 26.79% of preterm toddlers exhibited joint hypermobility.
- No significant differences in proprioception or Bayley-III scores (cognitive, language, motor) were found between toddlers with and without joint hypermobility.
- No significant relationships were identified between joint hypermobility, proprioception, and developmental functioning.
Conclusions:
- Joint hypermobility does not appear to affect proprioception or motor development in preterm toddlers aged 24-42 months.
- The findings suggest that factors beyond proprioception, such as movement repetition and integrated sensory input, may be more critical for early development in this population.
- Further research is warranted to explore the complex interplay of factors influencing development in preterm infants.
Objective:
The aims of this study were to explore (i) the joint hypermobility, proprioception, and developmental functioning in toddlers born preterm, (ii) differences in the proprioception and developmental functioning between toddlers with and without joint hypermobility, and (iii) the relationship between them.
Materials And Methods:
One hundred twelve toddlers born preterm between 24 and 42 months of age were included in this observational study. Beighton Score for joint hypermobility assess- ment and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) for developmental functioning were applied in all toddlers born preterm; however, propriocep- tion assessment could be applied on 55 of 112 (49.11%) toddlers born preterm due to lack of cooperation.
Results:
Of 112 toddlers, 30 (26.79%) had joint hypermobility. There were no differences in coop- eration rate (P = .629) and success rate (P = .887) in the proprioception assessment between toddlers with and without joint hypermobility (55 toddlers born preterm), which is similar to the cognitive domain (P = .430), language domain (P = .062), and motor domain (P = .619) in the Bayley-III. Additionally, none of them were related to each other (P > .05).
Conclusion:
Our study findings showed that joint hypermobility has no effect on propriocep- tion and motor development in toddlers born preterm between 24 and 42 months of age, and there is no relationship between them. The possibility of these results might be that movement repetition and not only proprioception but also other sensory systems could be important in this early period of life.
