Additionally, some successful contortionists develop significant signs of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome later in life (in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility tends to dominate early in life, while other symptoms tend to dominate later in life).
What happens to contortionists as they age?
It is true that Mongolian contortionists often train from a young age and are exhausted by their twenties after years of non-stop training (Ref. 5). Some also suffer from career-limiting intense training injuries (every athlete’s nightmare).
Is Dislocation Bad For Your Spine?
risks. A 2008 medical publication suggests that long-term damage to the spine, called scoliosis, is common among long-term contortionists. A study by Peoples et al. documented limbic vertebrae, disc protrusion and disc degeneration.
What ailments do contortionists have?
The secret to their exceptional flexibility, Smith said, is a rare condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). “It’s a collagen disorder and it makes me very, very flexible,” Smith said. The syndrome can cause extreme elasticity in the joints and skin.
Can a normal person become a contortionist?
Although flexibility genes generally play a role in becoming a contortionist, and many participants in this art form come from a long line of contortionists, the art of contortion is largely learned through training.
Are contortionists born or made?
However, with practice, anyone can become more flexible. That doesn’t mean anyone can become a professional contortionist, most are born with spikes and other unusually flexible joints. Though often derided as natural freaks, contortionists constantly train to perfect their craft.
Does Sofie Dossi have a backbone?
Conclusion: Provided Sofie does not suffer from chronic pain, she is not doing anything harmful to her body. She and her spine (which she definitely has, folks!) are really, really amazing.