What is the Integral movement method – IMM?
The IMM approach is a no pain, no strain strategy to improve movement in people that suffer from hypermobility conditions such as hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder. It is a great starting point for those looking to improve their mobility and / or get back into exercising. By using the IMM as the starting point, participants can regain confidence, awareness and rediscover what their body is capable of.
From the 671 participants enrolled onto a research project in 2024, 88% reported that they they were likely or very likely to recommend the programme to other people with hypermobility disorders. Other data collected during the research revealed both physical and physiological benefits from practicing in the IMM.
The Integral Movement Method has been gaining traction and popularity for many years. It has been endorsed by doctors and physiotherapists for it’s benefits. Notably, the strategy of using movement to release stress and tension throughout the body. Consistently practicing this method will lead to reduced pain and discomfort over time, with the ultimate goal being to eradicate it altogether.
The 6 principals of the Integral Movement Method
The Integral Movement Method takes a holistic approach with its 6 principals. Aiming to address not only problematic areas but also their root cause.
- Breath
- Relaxation
- Proprioception
- Stability
- Balance
- Posture
Breath
Breathing difficulties is a common complaint of those with hEDS. Most commonly, thoracic pain, struggling with deep inhalation and noisy breathing. Issues may also include experiencing exertional dyspnea, which is the sensation of running out of air or not being able to breathe deeply enough or fast enough during physical activity. It is currently unknown why there is a link between hEDS and breathing difficulties. However, it has been found that the addition of a cognitive task, such a learning something new or working something out, can play a part in reducing the ability to breathe properly.
You can read more about this 2024 study here.
During an Integral Movement Method session, we can use breathing exercises to open up the airways and allow your body to take in more air. This also helps to eliminate any pain experienced during deep breathing if this is something the client suffers with. For those that suffer from breathing difficulties during exercise, this is a great way to start the session and prepare for the session ahead.
Relaxation
A crucial part of the Integral Movement Method and the way in which we begin each session. Taking the time to focus on relaxation helps to truly soften muscles. It’s important to prevent them from guarding, which your body does as a joint protection response. Without this, problematic areas will continue to be excessively tight and potentially cause pain. Performing the movements in a relaxed state will allow the exercises to be performed correctly and with improved posture.
Many people with Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder have not been able to feel truly relaxed for a long time. Going through life without taking the time to control the body’s guarding mechanism continues to create further issues such as imbalances, tightness and pain. These knock on effects can become so severe that they start to have an impact on sleep quality and mental health.
Proprioception
Proprioception is the understanding of where each part of your body is at a particular time and how it moves. Although this may sound a little weird, those with hEDS & HSD tend to have lower proprioception than those without. This means that they are more likely to be clumsier, drop or bump into things. They may also struggle with their balance.
The biggest benefit of improving your proprioception is reducing the risk of injuries. Not only from accidents or misjudgements but also over-stretching injuries, pulls & dislocations caused from hyperextending. This involves learning and practicing what your joints should be performing as a safe range of movement and stopping before taking them past this. Rehearsing these patterns of movement will help re-programme your body to make them the new default subconscious range.
It’s important to mention that feedback is a crucial element of improving proprioception and the most effective type of feedback is having someone talk to you in real time as you perform the movements. Although you can use mirrors or recordings, they will impair your relaxation, cause you to twist and lose correct posture and in the case of recordings, require you to stop and start continuously.
Stability
Working to improve stability, balance and posture form the bulk of a IMM session. The client’s individual requirements and weaknesses will dictate the exercises chosen for their programme. With some consistency, exercises that target problematic joints will make them stronger and more stable.
When joints are loose and struggling to stay in place, this is due to a combination of elongated muscles, joints & tendons, plus weak stabilising muscles. Targeting the smaller stabilising muscles, deep within the joints, will strengthen and shorten them. This helps to hold the bones that form the joint closer together. In time, ligaments and tendons will also shorten as they are not getting excessively stretched as much. Stable joints are less likely to have subluxations or full dislocations.
Unfortunately, many conventional gym exercises and even normal daily tasks and movements will not help to strengthen these stabilising muscles. Those with hEDS and HSD have spent so long with loose joints, that the bigger bulkier muscles have tightened up and guarded to the point that they take over. This is why it’s important to choose specific exercises that allow stabilising muscles to be isolated and retrained on their role within joints.
Balance
Although poor balance has the same root cause as poor proprioception and stability, weak stabilising muscles and loose joints, it has been included as a separate principal to give it it’s own focus during integral movement sessions.
During IMM sessions, there will be a number of exercises that we can include to work primarily on balance. Depending on the individual and their capabilities, these may include anything from floor exercises up to standing single-leg exercises. Equipment such as a small Pilates ball or bosu ball may be used to progress these exercises as balance improves.
Posture
Having good posture is the ability to hold and move your body in a position that benefits it most. These benefits include, reduced risk of injury, less neck & back pain and better circulation and digestion.
Due to many of the symptoms already discussed, those with hEDS and HSD are more likely to develop poor posture. Integral movement method sessions will target and strengthen weak areas whilst softening and stretching tight muscles. Allowing your body, over time, to move back into a healthier position. All exercises are done with strict form to retrain muscle memory and their default position. Once again, live feedback is the only way to ensure you are learning how to perform the movements correctly.
Feet are an area of particular focus during IMM sessions, as many of those with hEDS & HSD have flat feet and/or other foot issues. As feet are the primary point of contact to the ground, poor posture at the foot can create compensation and more postural issues further up the body. Plus, almost all of your weight goes through your feet and ankles. This force is then multiplied during movement. Issues with these joints can have a multiplier effect across the whole body and increase risk of injury. IMM will include targeted exercises to help improve flat feet / low arches, toe gripping & ankle weakness.
Who can benefit from the Integral Movement Method?
- Those that have been sedentary for a long time and want to improve their daily movement
- Those that want to get back into fitness but need to build a solid foundation
- Those already into fitness that still experience issues associated with their hypermobility
- Those who struggle with postural issues
- Those who suffer with chronic joint pain
- Those who suffer from joint dislocations or subluxations
- Those looking to reduce risk of injury from their condition
- Those who want to improve their overall long-term quality of life
The Integral Movement Method is aimed at helping those that suffer from hypermobile conditions such as hEDS and HSD. It will help you move better, feel better and help control your symptoms. Teaching you what a correct range of movement feels like so that you stop taking your joints beyond this. Improving your balance so that you feel more stable and confident progressing your exercises. Strengthening your stabilising and weaker muscles so that your joint and body overall becomes stronger and more capable. Stretching and softening tight and short muscles to improve posture, reduce pain and correct imbalances.
Whilst hEDS and HSD sufferers have specific individual problems and symptoms, taking a holistic approach is the best, most effective way to make overall improvements.
Seraphina is a qualified Personal Trainer who specialises is coaching people with EDS / HSD. She is certified in the Integral Movement method and listed on the Ehlers Danlos Society directory of professionals. A long-term hEDS sufferer herself, she is devoted to helping others improve their strength and mobility.
Request a FREE call-back from Seraphina to see how she can help:
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