Foundations of Movement
for Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome & Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders
This course will provide participants with exercises to prescribe and techniques to teach your hypermobile clients to minimize their imbalances and strengthen their body’s natural ability to function at an optimal level.
Register Now – $750
12 hours
(2 Days)
In-Person
Miami, FL
12
Dr. Marcia Perretto
April 5-6, 2025
12-6PM
This course will be taking place in April 5-6 at Polestar PiIates Dadeland Studio in Miami, FL
Hypermobility presents unique challenges for both clients and instructors. Many hypermobile individuals struggle with joint instability, chronic fatigue, pain, and even exercise intolerance. Without the right approach, traditional exercise routines can do more harm than good.
In this specialized course, Dr. Marcia Perretto, an expert in movement science and hypermobility, will provide you with the essential knowledge, strategies, and exercises to help hypermobile clients strengthen their bodies, minimize imbalances, and move with confidence.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of this course, you’ll have the knowledge and tools to:
✅ Understand the hypermobile body and its associated physical challenges
✅ Recognize exercise intolerance, POTS, and chronic fatigue in hypermobile individuals
✅ Prescribe Pilates exercises that promote stability, strength, and endurance
✅ Avoid common mistakes that may cause pain or injury in hypermobile clients
✅ Implement progressive movement strategies tailored to different levels of ability
Course Overview
Part 1 – Understanding Hypermobility
Before diving into exercises, it’s essential to understand what hypermobility is and how it affects the body. This module covers:
- The hypermobile body and its physical impacts
- Joint Hypermobility Syndromes (JHS) and related conditions
- Understanding POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and its effects
- Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- How hypermobility influences exercise intolerance
Part 2 – Key Strategies for Hypermobile Individuals
To help your clients move safely and effectively, you’ll learn:
- Strategies to minimize POTS symptoms during exercise
- Joint protection techniques to prevent injury
- The importance of breathwork for hypermobility management
- Hydration and nutrition tips to support stability
Part 3 – Pilates Exercise Techniques for Hypermobility
This module provides a structured, step-by-step approach to movement, ensuring hypermobile clients can build strength and stability safely. You’ll learn:
- Key movement principles for working with hypermobile clients
- Which types of exercises are most effective and which to avoid
- Breathing strategies to enhance control and stability
- A progressive exercise system that starts with foundational movements and builds to more complex functional patterns
- Screening tools to assess where your client should begin and how to track their progress
- How to adapt and modify movements based on individual needs
By the end of this module, you’ll have a complete exercise framework to help hypermobile clients move with confidence, reduce discomfort, and prevent injury—whether they are beginners or experienced movers.
Dr. Perretto, as featured on the Pilates Hour
Why Take This Course?
✔ Expert Instruction: Learn from Dr. Marcia Perretto, a leader in Pilates for hypermobility
✔ Evidence-Based Approach: Grounded in the latest research on hypermobility and movement science
✔ Immediate Application: Gain practical tools and exercises to implement in your sessions right away
✔ Comprehensive Progressions: Suitable for beginners to advanced movers, ensuring safe and effective training
Enroll Today and Start Making a Difference
Join this specialized Polestar Pilates course and gain the expertise to help hypermobile clients move with confidence, reduce discomfort, and build sustainable strength.
Who Is This Course For?
✔️ Pilates instructors looking to support clients with hypermobility effectively
✔️ Physical therapists and rehab specialists working with hypermobile populations
✔️ Movement professionals who want to deepen their knowledge of hypermobility and safe exercise practices
✔️ Hypermobile individuals interested in understanding how to exercise safely and effectively
Meet Dr. Perretto
Marcia C. Perretto, PT, DPT, COMT, INHC, CLT, YTT-200
Orthopedic Specialist, EDS, POTS, MCAS Expert
Dr. Marcia C. Perretto, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist, with advanced training in movement sciences, Lymphedema, Integrative Nutrition Health, Pilates, Yoga Therapy, and Neurac Redcord®. She is the founder and CEO of Actify, a highly specialized clinic that focuses on the wellness and treatment of those who present with joint hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes and its comorbidities like Dysautonomia, Mast Cell Activation Disorder, and Autonomic dysfunction – Vagus Nerve dysregulation. She has a special focus to the studies of human movement sciences as well as the neurosciences of pain and its impact on people’s lives and has developed a special approach to address the neuromyofascial pain syndromes with the use of scientific proven processes of brain training and advanced musculoskeletal methods. Her goal is to help those with joint hypermobility, chronic pain, MCAD, and POTS/Dysautonomia to take control of their lives by not only strengthening their muscles but through a holistic approach that addresses their entire bodies and learning how to live a healthier and more fulfilled life.
The current healthcare system is in general focused on the model of typically offers fragmented care that only focuses on one condition or body system at a time, utilizing a “Band-Aid” approach that masks symptoms without putting out the original fire. By integrating knowledge of underlying pathogens, toxic burden, food sensitivities and allergies, nervous system function, gastrointestinal health, nutrient levels, the mind-body connection, musculoskeletal function, lifestyle factors, and other health variables, Dr. Perretto believes that patients can begin to reduce inflammation and heal from the inside-out.
A one-time semi-professional figure skater who has had three hip surgeries, and has hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome herself, she knows first hand the pain of hypermobile joints, subluxations and joint dislocations and all other systemic symptoms brought about by hEDS and the challenge of full rehabilitation when experiencing such symptoms.
Dr. Perretto is an active researcher in hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and hypermobility disorders in partnership with several medical professionals in the areas of movement science and hypermobility syndromes. She has served as a clinical instructor for Nova Southeastern University and Florida International University for the Entry Level Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. She is an educator and recognized speaker both nationally and internationally in the areas of orthopedics, neurosciences, genetic collagen disorders and hypermobility spectrum disorders.
After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy at a recognized catholic university in south Brazil, Dr. Perretto completed her transition to Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at Nova Southeastern University. Later she completed her Manual Therapy Certification at the Ola Grimsby Institute in California and a Health Coach Training program with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York, where she learned more than 100 dietary theories and a holistic approach to wellness. Dr. Perretto is certified on Lymphedema treatment (LTC), holds a yoga therapy instructor certification (YTT200), and has extensive training in Neurac Redcord® and Redcord® Active. Redcord® Active is a unique suspension training process that offers a specialized skill set in kinetic-chain assessments and corrective exercise programs proven to be an efficient workout that delivers muscle strength and flexibility as well as facilitates injury prevention, rehabilitation, wellness and performance.
Dr. Perretto continuously develops her knowledge and training in movement sciences, neuroscience of pain and hypermobility syndromes and has developed advanced skills in the use of Yoga as a tool for rehabilitation and the NEURAC Redcord, a Norwegian system of musculoskeletal treatment for patients with joint instability. Dr. Perretto is the first to offer NEURAC Redcord treatment in Boca Raton.
She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), National Strength and Conditioning Association, Hypermobility Syndromes Association and the World Confederation for Physical Therapy.
