Aaron Jones is a physiotherapist with a special interest in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). He has been working with people with EDS since 2008. During his time with the EDS community, he has seen the management of people with EDS go from simple strengthening of unstable joints, to managing the “Pentad” (hEDS, POTs/Dysautonomia, MCAD/S, autoimmunity, and gastroparesis).
Although Aaron can perform some physical tests that screen for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and some of the medical complications associated with EDS, his assessment is to determine how EDS affects the individual and personalize their management plan.
Aaron’s assessment involves hearing the patient’s story to better understand their person experience, assessing the muscles and joints, and to some extent the skin and nervous system. He cannot evaluate the heart, blood vessels, oral/dental, other organs or order genetic testing which may be required to determine how serious a patient’s EDS is or which of the 13 subtypes of EDS the patient may have (https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/eds-types/).
“Diagnostic criteria are meant solely to distinguish an EDS from other connective tissue disorders, and there are many more possible symptoms for each EDS than there are criteria.”
On Vancouver Island, Dr. Jesse Ennis (Physiatrist) has expertise in EDS. You will require a referral from a General Practitioner/Family Physician to book an appointment with Dr. Ennis. (https://shorelinemedical.ca/profile/jesse-ennis/).
Dr. Lucia Ma is a family physician with a special interest in hypermobility conditions and is available via Telus Health for video consults (https://pathwaysmedicalcare.ca/clinic/crown-isle-clinic-ma-lucia/).
