So *This* Is The Reason Kyle Richards Always Hits The Splits On 'RHOBH'

If you've been following along with The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills all these years, you'll know that there's never a shortage of drama, trauma, cat fights, and health scares. You'll also certainly know that Kyle Richards, 53, is notorious for hitting the splits time and again, season after season.

Whether she's on the dance floor or just being goofy during a girl's trip, the reality star's infamous flexibility is one of her most iconic moves. And she knows it.

In 2017, Kyle joked on Instagram that she had a new party trick that was actually not the splits.

"My new party trick. No more splits 🤸🏽♀️ #igotthis," she captioned the video. And Bravo even created a video titled "Here's the History Behind Kyle Richards Doing the Splits" to commemorate her iconic flexibility skills.

But in a clip from the show's latest episode, Kyle explains that her unique party trick is actually not as great (or simple) as it seems.

As it turns out, Kyle actually has something called "hypermobility syndrome," which is also sometimes called joint hypermobility syndrome. And this is not the first health issue Kyle has opened up about in recent years. Back in 2017, she talked about her fibromyalgia diagnosis, and earlier this year, she injured her back.

But with all this talk about a new syndrome, it makes sense that you probably have a lot of questions. Here's what to know about the disorder:

What is hypermobility syndrome?

Hypermobility syndrome is a connective tissue disorder that causes ligaments to be loose or weak, according to The Cleveland Clinic. Around 10 percent of people with hypermobility live with symptoms that can range from mild to disabling, and it can affect different body systems over time, per the Hypermobility Syndromes Association.

What has Kyle said about her diagnosis?

During season 12, episode 14, Kyle shares that, "I’m not just bendy, I actually have something called hypermobility syndrome. This is actually a problem. You’re not supposed to be born like this."

It's not clear when Kyle was diagnosed, but it seems like she's been all kinds of flexible for quite a while. And it definitely explains the splits.

"And with that comes some other ailments," she continues. "My arms and legs go numb sometimes." In true Kyle fashion, she then jokes that she should have taken her talents to Cirque du Soleil but instead, she's there with the other housewives "wasting my talent."

But Kyle, who else would be hitting the splits if not you?

What are the symptoms?

There is an extensive list of symptoms. According to the Hypermobility Syndromes Association, they can include:

• Joint instability and hyper-extension, sprains, strains, and/or dislocations

• Stomach and digestive problems

• Poor proprioception, which is the ability to detect movement, action and location

• Bladder and bowel problems

• Dizziness

• Fainting

• Easy bruising

• Poor wound healing

• Long term, persistent pain

• Stretchy or soft skin

• Chronic fatigue

There are physical tests your doctor can perform to see if you have the disorder.

How many people have this disorder?

A surprising number of people are hypermobile. According to The Cleveland Clinic, it's actually about 20 percent of the population, but that's not the same as actually having hypermobility syndrome. More on that in a sec.

The actual syndrome affects a much smaller proportion of the population and is most common in children, younger people, those "assigned female at birth (AFAB) and people of Asian and Afro-Caribbean descent," per The Cleveland Clinic. The condition also generally improves with age.

What is the difference between hypermobility and hypermobility syndrome?

It can be tricky to decipher between these. According to The Cleveland Clinic, joint hypermobility syndrome is "a genetic condition that involves extreme flexibility along with pain and other symptoms."

They also note that the difference between hypermobility and having a syndrome is that with hypermobility, your joints "can move beyond the normal range of motion", and you can be very flexible without causing pain or medical complications.

However, joint hypermobility syndrome usually "causes joint pain, joint and ligament injuries, tiredness (fatigue), bowel issues and other symptoms."

What other conditions are associated with the syndrome?

There are several other conditions that are actually associated with hypermobility syndrome, according to the Hypermobility Syndromes Association. These include:

• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

• Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (another connective tissue disorder)

• Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bones)

• Marfan Syndrome

• Stickler Syndrome

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