Joint hypermobility in African non-pregnant nulliparous women

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of joint hypermobility in non-preg nant nulliparous women and the influences of age and Quetelet-index in a ru ral, female population in Tanzania. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Joint mobility was measured according to the scoring systems of Beighton an d Biro. Results: According to the Beighton criteria with a score of 0 to 9 points, 50.5% of 705 non-pregnant nulliparous women scored 3, while 30.8% s cored greater than or equal to 4 and 18.6% greater than or equal to 5. Ther e were no correlations between hypermobility and age or Quetelet-index. The prevalence of hypermobility at the dominant body side was significantly lo wer (19.2%) than at the non-dominant side (23.4%) (p<0.001). Conclusion: Th is study confirms that there are ethnic differences in the prevalence of hy permobility. The prevalence of hypermobility in Tanzanian non-pregnant null iparous women is about 1.5-times higher as compared to Dutch non-pregnant n ulliparous women. Prevalence of hypermobility was higher at the non-dominan t body side. The most predictive test for the diagnosis of hypermobility wa s the hyperextension of the elbows >10 degrees. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science I reland Ltd. All rights reserved.