Zebra Talks: Living Your Best Bendy Life

Host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes Jennifer Parkinson, a certified functional nutrition practitioner and founder of EDS Nutritionist, who supports people with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, MCAS, and POTS.   Jennifer shares her long journey from early joint pain, repeated shoulder surgeries, gut and gynecologic surgeries, dizziness and brain fog, and eventual EDS diagnosis after years of dismissal, to pursu...

Host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes physical therapist Dr. Laura Glazebrook to discuss scoliosis, especially its overlap with hypermobility. Laura shares her own history of rapidly progressing scoliosis, undergoing a spinal fusion at age 11, and later realizing she likely falls on the hypermobility spectrum.   They review scoliosis prevalence in the general population, current thinking on adolescent d...

  Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes menopause specialist and nurse practitioner Vanessa Weiland, founder of Phases Clinic and creator of Bendy Menopause, who also has hypermobile EDS and MCAS.   Their conversation covers why hypermobility symptoms can shift with hormonal changes, how perimenopause is driven by fluctuating ovarian hormones, and why blood tests are often unhelpful in perimenopause except i...

  Host Dr. Libby Hinsley interviews Abbey Phillipson, a classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) advocate and Paralympic strength and conditioning coach at the University of Michigan. Abbey shares her experience with early signs, diagnosis via genetics (COL5A1), and serious complications of Classical EDS.   She discusses why some rare EDS types may be diagnosed earlier yet still missed, de novo muta...

  Host Dr. Libby Hinsley interviews pelvic floor physical therapist and author Dr. Amy Stein, founder of Beyond Basics Physical Therapy. Stein discusses the strong overlap she sees between hypermobility and pelvic floor dysfunction (estimating about 70% of her patients), including patterns of pelvic floor gripping used for stability, pelvic pain, prolapse, hernias, constipation/IBS symptoms, possi...

Host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes pelvic and orthopedic rehabilitation expert Dr. Ginger Garner to Zebra Talks to discuss hip pain in hypermobility syndromes, focusing on hip dysplasia, borderline dysplasia, and micro-instability, which commonly coexist with generalized joint hypermobility. Garner cites studies showing over two thirds—and up to 78% in one cohort—of patients with hip dysplasia meet h...

In this episode, Dr. Libby Hinsley hosts Zebra Talks and interviews physical therapist and massage therapist Kala Hildebrand about hypermobility and feet, including common presentations of chronic foot pain in bendy bodies and why issues aren’t limited to “floppy” overpronation. Kala discusses how long-standing pain often comes with fear, limited information, and habituated strategies like constan...

Host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes physical therapist and manual therapist Heather Purdin, co-author of “Taming the Zebra,” to discuss her book and her biopsychosocial approach to treating hypermobility syndromes. The conversation continues by highlighting tethered cord syndrome, its key features, imaging considerations, conservative/manual approaches, and surgical cautions. They also discuss cranio-...

Host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes Heidi Andersen, a licensed clinical mental health counselor supervisor and founder of Reclaiming Beauty, to discuss eating disorders and their overlap with hypermobility syndromes. Heidi describes shifting from traditional CBT/DBT-focused treatment toward Embodied Recovery for Eating Disorders, reframing disordered eating and chronic tension as adaptive responses sh...

Host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes cardiologist Dr. Alexis Cutchins, who left Emory after 13 years to open a private practice in New York City with the goal of building a multidisciplinary center for hypermobility spectrum disorders. Dr. Cutchins describes how curiosity led her into treating patients with POTS, dysautonomia, long COVID, EDS, and MCAS, and explains that MCAS can both drive and be trig...

Host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes Dr. Poorvi Desai, a board-certified hematologist-oncologist living with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and comorbidities. Dr. Desai explains genetic testing basics (single-gene, exome, and whole-genome sequencing), distinguishing somatic testing from germline inherited testing used for hereditary connective tissue disorders. She notes that 13 of 14 EDS su...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley discusses the challenges and experiences of living with hypermobility syndromes with guest Lauren Brown. Diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and POTS, Lauren shares her long and complicated journey through a diagnostic maze, frequent medical gaslighting, and the significant impact of finding knowledgeable and empathetic healthcar...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley, physical therapist and author of 'Yoga for Bendy People,' talks with guest Dena Mellick, a barbell coach and founder of Strength Equity.    Dena shares her journey from chronic illness and pain management to becoming a strength coach. They delve into the intricacies of training clients with hypermobility syndromes (HSD) and Ehlers-Danlos Synd...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, Dr. Libby Hinsley hosts Dr. Derik Anderson, a chiropractor and expert in soft tissue research and treatment, to discuss various facets of managing hypermobility syndromes.   Dr. Anderson shares his journey into treating Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, insights on fascia differences in bendy bodies, and the role of heart rate variability (HRV) in energy management. They also...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley speaks with Rob West, a physical therapist and board certified orthopedic specialist. They discuss the use of blood flow restriction (BFR) training as a tool for improving strength and managing symptoms in patients with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).   Rob shares his journey from learning abo...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, Libby welcomes Dr. David Saperstein, Director of the Center for Complex Neurology, EDS, and POTS in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Saperstein shares his journey into specializing in EDS and POTS, the complexities of diagnosing and treating POTS, and the importance of staying curious and open-minded in medical practice.   They discuss the challenges of diagnosing POTS, the im...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, Dr. Libby Hinsley hosts biomechanist and bestselling author Katy Bowman to discuss the unique features of hypermobile bodies. Katy shares her insights on biomechanics, tissue creep, and the importance of proprioception and attentional focus for hypermobile bodies. They also explore the impact of sedentary culture and strategies for integrating more diverse movements...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley is joined by strength and conditioning coach Becca Lee to discuss their collborative innovative strength training class 'Bendy and Badass,' designed specifically for people with hypermobility syndromes. They share their journey in developing the class, discuss the unique challenges faced by hypermobile individuals, and explain effective strate...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley is joined by Dr. Kate Bochnewetch, a physical therapist and run coach, to discuss running with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD), and other chronic illnesses.   Kate shares her personal journey with hypermobility, POTS, and chronic migraine, and how these experiences influenced her approach to tr...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes Nikki Naab-Levy, a certified strength and nutrition coach with extensive experience in helping hypermobile individuals. Nikki shares her personal journey with hypermobility and discusses the benefits of strength training for those with hypermobility syndromes. They explore the importance of understanding one's limits, the concept of r...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley talks with Dr. Mamak Shakib, a chiropractic physician specializing in functional mobility, joint hypermobility, and pelvic floor dysfunction. Dr. Shakib shares her 30-year journey in treating hypermobile patients, emphasizing the importance of developmental kinesiology and dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) for sustainable joint health...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes Dr. Melissa Koehl to discuss her journey with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and how it has shaped her career in physical therapy. Melissa shares her personal struggles with diagnosis, the importance of recognizing hypermobility in the context of fibromyalgia, and the intersection of these conditions with other systemic issu...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes Dr. Jessica Eccles, a prominent consultant psychiatrist and researcher, to discuss her personal and professional experiences with hypermobility syndromes. Dr. Eccles shares insights from her extensive research on the links between hypermobility, anxiety, neurodevelopmental conditions, and chronic health issues such as fibromyalgia and...

If you have a bendy neck, this one's for you!  For this week's episode of Zebra Talks, Libby has a fascinating conversation with Taylor Goldberg, a chiropractor turned virtual hypermobility coach. Taylor shares a bit about her personal journey with hypermobility and her shift to a virtual coaching model, and then helps us understand all things upper cervical instability (UCI), including its causes...

In this episode of Zebra Talks, Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes Lisa Sherman, a licensed acupuncturist with expertise in functional medicine and molecular biology, to discuss digestive issues among people with hypermobility syndromes. They delve into the prevalence of gastrointestinal problems like dysmotility, microbial dysbiosis, and structural droopiness that hypermobile individuals often face. Lisa...