Can a person be too flexible?

Some evidence exists that an excessive level of flexibility can result in a decreased degree of joint stability. In reality, a trade-off between flexibility and stability appears to exist. This decrease in joint stability is particularly evident when the flexibility increase is the result of lengthening the connective tissue structures that stabilize a particular joint.

Deep knee bends, for example, may increase the range of motion (ROM) of the knee joint to the point where the knee becomes more susceptible to chronic or acute instability. As such, an individual’s ROM for each joint should be determined by the demands of the individual.

It should be noted that an excessive rom for a given joint could result in decreased stability and a greater potential for injury.