Bendy Bodies & Busy Brains: Understanding the Hidden Link Between Connective Tissue and Neurodivergence

Dr. Mary McKone, Ed.D.
23 hours ago
7 min read

Many neurodivergent kids are also “bendy” kids. They may experience a combination of very flexible joints, frequent pain, heightened sensory reactions, fatigue, or dizziness. Even though these patterns reflect underlying nervous system and connective tissue differences, they are often misunderstood, minimized, or treated as unrelated concerns. Thankfully, research has begun to connect these dots, revealing that connective tissue differences, neurodivergence, and nervous system overload often travel together.

What is connective tissue?

Connective tissue is the structural "framework" that holds the body together, giving it shape and strength. It includes collagen, ligaments, tendons, fascia, and the “glue” that supports and connects skin, joints, blood vessels, organs, and even the coverings of the brain and nerves. When this framework is strong and balanced, it holds everything in place and gives clear feedback to the brain about where the body is in space (proprioception).

Disordered connective tissue can show up as:

Very flexible (“double‑jointed”) elbows, knees, fingers, or spine.
Joints that easily sprain, roll, or “give way.”
Soft, velvety, or stretchy skin; easy bruising in some kids.

These patterns may be consistent with hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). Certainly, not every flexible child has a connective tissue disorder, but when flexibility is accompanied by pain, fatigue, or other health issues, it warrants further attention.

How connective tissue becomes “disordered”

In many connective tissue disorders, genes that direct collagen and other structural proteins are altered, changing the strength or organization of the body’s framework. Ligaments and joint capsules may not hold as firmly, allowing movements beyond a normal range of motion; blood vessels, digestion, and other organs can also be more fragile or less supported.

For children, this often looks like:

Achy legs or back, especially after activity or at night (think "growing pains").
Unconsciously needing to lean, slouch, W‑sit, or hang off furniture to feel stable.
Toe‑walking or unusual gait patterns that extend beyond toddler years.
Getting tired early, headaches, and sometimes stomach pain.

Over time, the muscles surrounding loose joints work overtime to compensate. This extra strain can create chronic muscle tension, pain, and exhaustion—even when a child may “look fine” on routine medical exams.

Why connective tissue and neurodivergence show up together

Studies show higher rates of generalized joint hypermobility and hypermobile EDS in autistic and ADHD populations than in the general public. In clinics that see EDS and hypermobility patients, a large number frequently report ADHD, autism or significant autistic traits.

Several factors likely contribute:

Shared genes: Some of the same genes that affect collagen and connective tissue integrity are also active in brain development and function.
Immune and inflammatory links: allergies, mast cell issues, or gut problems are common in both hypermobility/EDS and autistic populations.
Autonomic nervous system stress: dysautonomia and POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) can cause brain fog, sensory sensitivities, which can look like--or worsen--ADHD and autism traits.

For parents, this means that intense emotions, attention difficulties, and sensory overload may be the nervous system's response to living in a differently constructed body, not merely "just behavior."

Body awareness, proprioception, and sensory overload

The brain relies on proprioceptors—tiny sensors in muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints—to understand where the body is in space without having to look around. When connective tissue is very loose, joints may move more than proprioceptive sensors expect. The myriad of sensory signals traveling to the brain becomes fuzzier and less precise.

Children often show this through:

Clumsiness: bumping into furniture or doorframes, tripping, or dropping objects.
Low muscle tone or “floppy” posture: slouching, leaning, W‑sitting, or locking their knee joints to feel stable.
Over‑reliance on vision: watching their feet when they walk or staring at their hands while writing or playing.

When proprioceptive input is less reliable in children with generalized joint hypermobility or hEDS, the brain compensates by relying more on vision and conscious effort to guide movement. In other words, movements that should happen automatically require active focus and effort. This uses a great deal of mental energy. For a neurodivergent child whose attention and sensory systems are already busy, that extra demand can quickly lead to fatigue and sensory overload.

Parents might notice:

Meltdowns after PE, sports, playground time, or errands.
Increased “behavioral” spikes when they've been standing or sitting for too long (think school lines, desks, carpet time).
Trouble settling and sleeping because the body never quite feels safe or still.

The stressed nervous system: pain, dizziness, and fatigue

Many neurodivergent kids with connective tissue differences live in a nervous system that is always near its limit. Their nervous systems are juggling:

Ongoing pain and micro‑injuries from loose joints and overworked muscles.
Autonomic symptoms like dizziness, rapid heart rate, and feeling faint when standing (common in POTS and other forms of dysautonomia).
The constant effort of staying upright and coordinated in a body that doesn’t give clear, consistent feedback.

Research in hypermobile EDS and related conditions shows that autonomic dysfunction significantly lowers quality of life and is linked with fatigue, headaches, and difficulty with physical activity. When you add this to autistic or ADHD attention, transition, and sensory processing challenges, it is easy to see why many of these kids feel exhausted or irritable. Please consider that what appears to be “laziness,” “avoidance,” or “anxiety” is often the body’s way of protecting itself from overload.

How Neurorflex Integration May Support These Kids

Neuroreflex Integration, such as MNRI and RMTi, is a hands-on therapy that addresses primitive, postural, and righting reflex patterns — the automatic movement patterns that shape how we respond to touch, movement, sound, and gravity. Research in children and adults with autism, ADHD, anxiety, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and other neurological conditions suggests neuroreflex integration can improve reflex organization, sensory processing, the autonomic nervous system and vagal tone, posture, motor skills, behavior, digestion, and some neurotransmitter and stress‑related biomarkers.

Practitioners use specific touch, positioning, and movement patterns to:

Check how well reflexes are organized.
Gently activate or "re-train" reflex pathways that are overactive, underactive, or poorly coordinated.

For neurodivergent kids with connective tissue differences, neuroreflex integration can:

Offer repetitive, predictable movement in safe, mid‑range joint positions, helping the brain build a clearer body "map” without stressing lax joints.
Calm over‑reactive protective reflexes (like the Moro/startle reflex or fear patterns) that are often heightened in kids living with chronic pain or dizziness.
Combine touch, proprioceptive, and vestibular inputs in organized patterns, providing the autonomic nervous system with a clearer template for shifting out of fight-or-flight.

Neuroreflex integration is not a substitute for medical care. It works best as part of a team approach that includes careful medical evaluation (for EDS/hypermobility, POTS, and related issues), PT/OT, and support for sleep, learning, and mental health. At BrainWorks, Dr. McKone has a strong understanding of hypermobility and dysautonomia, which enables her to shape neuroreflex integration in ways that protect joints, honor a child's pacing, and provide the organizing sensory input the nervous system needs to regulate and positively change.

What parents can do now

1. Track symptoms

For 1–2 weeks, jot down:

Pain: where, when, what helps or worsens it.
Dizziness/heart: lightheadedness, “seeing stars,” racing heart, near‑fainting when standing.
Fatigue: how long your child can be upright before they melt down, zone out, or need to lie down.
Sensory overload: situations that trigger shutdowns or meltdowns (noise, crowds, PE, bright lights, stores).
Joints: sprains, “giving way,” ankle rolling, toe‑walking, braces/tape.

Bring this log (and short videos if you have them) to appointments.

2. Ask for medical and therapy support

Ask your providers about:

A visit focused on hypermobility, pain, fatigue, and dizziness.
Referral to genetics or an EDS/hypermobility clinic if your child is very flexible and also has pain, injuries, autonomic or gut symptoms, or family history.
Cardiology/autonomic testing if dizziness, fainting, or big heart‑rate jumps with standing are common.
OT/PT for “joint hypermobility, proprioception, balance, and fatigue.”
If MNRI is available, how could it fit into the plan?

3. Support at home

Movement and posture

Teach where to stop with extensions; many kids want to show off their bendy tricks.
Choose low‑impact movement: walking, swimming, biking.
Encourage “soft” knees and elbows (no constant joint locking).
Use a short, gentle home program from your OT/PT or MNRI provider.

Regulation and pacing

Keep routines steady for sleep, food, and hydration.
Use compression or deep pressure (if comfortable) and quiet “reset” breaks lying down with calm breathing or simple MNRI patterns.
Offer supportive seating and allow lying down for some work.
Break tasks and outings into shorter chunks with planned rest and snacks.
Use noise‑reduction and light control (headphones, hats, sunglasses) in busy places.

Emotional support

Affirm that their body is made "bendier" and that together you will work to support both body and brain.

Resources:

Assessing Joint Hypermobility with the Beighton Scale https://youtu.be/A_WJxNvFhYg

(Keep in mind it is an imperfect tool that not everybody can complete, but it can be a great tool for early detection.)

Sources

Baeza‑Velasco C, et al. The Relationship between Autism and Ehlers–Danlos Syndromes/Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2020.
Csecs J, et al. The Relationship between Generalised Joint Hypermobility and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults: A Large, Cross‑Sectional Comparative Study. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2022.
Eccles JA, et al. Joint Hypermobility Links Neurodivergence to Dysautonomia and Pain. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2022.
Medical News Today. Ehlers–Danlos syndrome and autism: What is the link? 2024.
Hypermobility Syndromes Association. Joint Hypermobility Links Neurodivergence to Dysautonomia and Pain (summary). 2022.
Ehlers–Danlos Society. Dysautonomia and EDS/HSD. 2025.
Ehlers‑Danlos News. Autonomic dysfunction affects life quality for most children with hEDS. 2024.
Frontiers in Psychiatry and related reports on hypermobility, neurodivergence, dysautonomia, and pain.
Masgutova S, et al. The Impact of MNRI Therapy on the Levels of Neurotransmitters for Children with Different Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Neuroscience & Medicine. 2020.
Bell C, et al. The Effect of the MNRI Method on Neurotransmitter Biomarkers of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Neuroscience & Medicine. 2019.
Masgutova Method Educational Institute: clinical descriptions of MNRI and reflex‑integration approaches.
Reframing Autism, Hypermobility organisations, and parent‑oriented summaries on hypermobility, autism, ADHD, and pain.
KidsHealth and pediatric dysautonomia resources on POTS and orthostatic intolerance.