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Researchers in Baltimore studied a group of young people and children who are affected by chronic fatigue syndrome, and came up with some fascinating findings about their limbs and joints. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome never fails to generate controversy between those who think it's all in the body and those for whom it's all in the mind. People with CFS have fatigue that's been present for at least six months or more, plus four out of eight other symptoms including sore throat and tender glands. Research from Baltimore may have some answers. They've found that a significant proportion of young people with CFS have an excessive fall in blood pressure when they stand up. The group has also made a chance discovery in the children and adolescents attending their clinic, which is that about six out of 10 patients that they see with CFS are double-jointed – they have lax ligaments which allows their joints to over-extend. The researchers use tests like how far back you can extend your little fingers, your elbows and your knees; and whether you can put your palms flat on the floor while keeping your legs straight. The theory is that perhaps there's a genetic problem making the blood vessels lax as well, allowing blood to pool in the lower limbs when the person stands. The question now is what to do about it, because so far no therapy is showing convincingly that it works.
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