The Beighton Score

The Beighton Score is a diagnostic tool to determine the presence of Joint Hypermobility. It measures joint hypermobility on a 9-point scale.

The joints assessed are:

Knuckle of the little/fifth/pinky finger
The base of the thumb
Elbow
Knee
Spine

A. 5th finger/Pinkie finger

Rest the palm of the hand and forearm a flat surface with palm side down and fingers out straight.

Can the 5th finger be bent/lifted upwards at the knuckle to go back beyond 90 degrees?

If yes, add one point for each hand.

B. Thumbs

With the arm out straight, the palm facing down, and the wrist then fully bent downward, can the thumb be pushed back to touch the forearm?

If yes, add one point for each thumb.

C. Elbows

With arms outstretched and palms facing upwards, does the elbow extend (bend too far) upwards more than an extra 10 degrees beyond a normal outstretched position?

If yes, add one point for each side.

D. Knees

While standing, with knees locked (bent back as far as possible), does the lower part of either leg extend more than 10 degrees forward?

If yes, add one point for each side?

E. Spine

Can you bend forward and place the palms of your hands flat on the floor in front of your feet without bending your knees?

If yes, add one point.

While there is currently no determined cut-off score, it is a general consensus that a score of at least 4/9 is an indication of Joint Hypermobility. For children below 12 years of age, the cut-off score for the Beighton test is 6/9.