Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRange of MotionRecoveryExercise
Table of ContentsView All
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Table of Contents
Range of Motion
Recovery
Exercise
Hyperextension is an injury that occurs when a joint is forced beyond its normal, healthyrange of motion. This can make the joint unstable and increase the risk and likelihood of dislocation or other potential joint injuries.
Hyperextension can happen in any joint. For example, bending the knee backward can cause a ligament tear, and a sudden overextension of the neck can cause awhiplash injury.
This article discusses joint hyperextension injuries, what causes them, and how they are treated. It also goes over what you can expect while you recover.
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Hyperextension and Range of Motion
Most of the body’s joints allow for certain movements. A few joints, like joints in the skull, do not.
For example, you can move your neck to a certain extent in each direction, but if you turn your neck too far in one particular direction, you can feel pain, and injuries can occur. Hyperextension injuries are common in the following areas:
Normal Range of Motion for Each Joint
What is flexion?
Flexion makes a joint angle smaller and extension increases it.
Recovering From a Hyperextension Injury
Hyperextension injuries are usually treated conservatively with rest and pain management. Your healthcare provider might recommend RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
Avoid using the affected joint as much as possible. Apply ice at 10- to 20-minute intervals every hour (remove the ice when the area starts to feel numb). If possible, wear a compression sleep or an elastic bandage on the injury, and keep it elevated above your heart to reduce swelling.
It may take a few weeks to a month to recover from a hyperextension injury. Check with your healthcare before resuming your normal activities.
Hyperextension in Exercise
In terms of physical fitness, hyperextension movements are often involved in exercises that are designed to restore a normal range of motion. For example, you may needrange of motion exercises for your elbowwhile recovering from an injury.
There are also types of equipment commonly found in gyms that can be used to perform hyperextension exercises. If you are unsure of which pieces of equipment to use for hyperextension exercises, ask a member of the staff at your gym.
Summary
Joint hyperextension is when the joint is forced to move beyond its normal range of motion. This can cause injury, such as a ligament tear in the knee. Hyperextension injuries are usually treated conservatively with rest and pain management.
Hyperextension can also be used to describe certain stretching exercises that can help you recover from an injury.
2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gudavalli MR, Cambron JA, McGregor M, et al.A randomized clinical trial and subgroup analysis to compare flexion-distraction with active exercise for chronic low back pain.Eur Spine J. 2006;15(7):1070–1082. doi:10.1007/s00586-005-0021-8Lawrence MA, Chin A, Swanson BT.Biomechanical Comparison of the Reverse Hyperextension Machine and the Hyperextension Exercise.Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2019;33(8):2053-2056. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000003146
2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gudavalli MR, Cambron JA, McGregor M, et al.A randomized clinical trial and subgroup analysis to compare flexion-distraction with active exercise for chronic low back pain.Eur Spine J. 2006;15(7):1070–1082. doi:10.1007/s00586-005-0021-8Lawrence MA, Chin A, Swanson BT.Biomechanical Comparison of the Reverse Hyperextension Machine and the Hyperextension Exercise.Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2019;33(8):2053-2056. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000003146
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Gudavalli MR, Cambron JA, McGregor M, et al.A randomized clinical trial and subgroup analysis to compare flexion-distraction with active exercise for chronic low back pain.Eur Spine J. 2006;15(7):1070–1082. doi:10.1007/s00586-005-0021-8Lawrence MA, Chin A, Swanson BT.Biomechanical Comparison of the Reverse Hyperextension Machine and the Hyperextension Exercise.Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2019;33(8):2053-2056. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000003146
Gudavalli MR, Cambron JA, McGregor M, et al.A randomized clinical trial and subgroup analysis to compare flexion-distraction with active exercise for chronic low back pain.Eur Spine J. 2006;15(7):1070–1082. doi:10.1007/s00586-005-0021-8
Lawrence MA, Chin A, Swanson BT.Biomechanical Comparison of the Reverse Hyperextension Machine and the Hyperextension Exercise.Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2019;33(8):2053-2056. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000003146
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