In this episode of The Invisible Podcast, Dr. Ashton Wilson chats with Jeannie Di Bon, movement therapist, founder of The Zebra Club, and author of The Integral Movement Method for Hypermobility Management.

Jeannie shares her personal journey with hypermobility and her 16+ years of working with the hypermobility community. They explore why traditional approaches to exercise don’t always work for hypermobile bodies, the importance of nervous system safety, proprioception and stability, and how people can rebuild trust and connection with their bodies.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Jeannie’s journey from movement therapist to becoming a leading voice in hypermobility management.
• How she discovered that she herself had hypermobile EDS after decades of unexplained symptoms.
• The development of her Integral Movement Method and the six principles behind it.
• Why safety needs to come before stability and strength.
• How chronic pain and repeated injuries can affect a person’s trust and relationship with their body.
• The role of breath, relaxation and nervous system regulation in movement.
• Why hypermobile people may benefit from starting with smaller ranges of movement and slower exercises.
• The connection between proprioception, stability, breath and body awareness.
• Why “just get stronger” isn’t always helpful advice for someone with hypermobility.
• Why strength training can be beneficial, but needs to be introduced gradually and appropriately.
• Jeannie’s experience presenting at the EDS Global Learning Conference in Dallas.
• The importance of patient innovation and lived experience in shaping healthcare.
• The upcoming changes to EDS diagnostic criteria discussed in the episode.
• Why movement “snacks” can be useful when spending long periods sitting.
• Whether ITB issues are related to hypermobility and why looking at the whole body matters.
• Why Jeannie doesn’t recommend foam rolling the ITB for her hypermobile clients.
• Whether Pilates is the best form of exercise for hypermobile people.
• Advice for practitioners who want to work with hypermobile clients.
• Why practitioners don’t need to be hypermobile themselves to support this community.
• The importance of empathy, curiosity and actually listening to patients.

Jeannie’s 3 Key Takeaways
1. Don’t give up hope.
 Regardless of your age, ability or current capacity, there is always something that can be done.
2. Listen to your body.
 If something doesn’t feel right or an exercise continually causes pain without progress, it’s okay to question it and try something different.
3. Trust your gut.
 You know your body better than anyone else. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself or find another practitioner if you don’t feel heard.

Jeannie’s Life-Changing Hack
Learning to rest without guilt.
Jeannie explains that she used to constantly push herself to keep going, but has learned that rest needs to be intentionally built into her day so she can function at her best.

A Message to Her Younger Self
“Everything’s going to be okay in the end.”
After growing up being told she was a hypochondriac and an attention seeker, Jeannie wishes she could have trusted herself more and known that her experiences were real.

What Jeannie Wants to See Change in Healthcare
More education about connective tissue disorders in medical and physiotherapy training.
Rather than having EDS and connective tissue disorders reduced to a brief mention in a lecture, Jeannie hopes future healthcare professionals will graduate with a genuine understanding of how these conditions can affect multiple systems throughout the body.

About Jeannie Di Bon
Jeannie Di Bon is a movement therapist specialising in hypermobility and EDS. She is the founder of The Zebra Club and creator of the Integral Movement Method, which focuses on helping people with hypermobility develop safety, stability, strength and greater awareness of their bodies.
She is also the author of The Integral Movement Method for Hypermobility Management.

Find Jeannie
Website: jeanniedibon.com
 The Zebra Club: thezebra.club
 Instagram: @jeannie_di
 Book: The Integral Movement Method for Hypermobility Management by Jeannie Di Bon

About The Invisible Podcast
Hosted by Dr. Ashton Wilson, The Invisible Podcast explores invisible illness, hypermobility, chronic conditions and the lived experiences of people navigating healthcare with conditions that aren’t always visible.

Follow Dr. Ashton Wilson on Instagram: @doc_ashtonn