Anna Higo

Anna Higo is a specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist with over 30 years of clinical experience and a particular specialism in hypermobile Ehlers‑Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD). Her clinical and academic work focuses on the musculoskeletal consequences of hypermobility, with a specific interest in the shoulder as one of the most frequently symptomatic and functionally limiting joints in this population, despite comparatively limited research guidance.

After graduating from the University of Liverpool, Anna began her career at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust before moving into private practice. Early in her career, she developed a specialist interest in complex and recurrent shoulder presentations. Through clinical observation, she identified a consistent subgroup of patients with persistent shoulder instability, pain, and rehabilitation failure who were later recognised as meeting criteria for hEDS/HSD—prompting a shift in her clinical focus and research direction.

Anna is currently undertaking a self‑funded PhD exploring the evidence and feasibility of conservative management for shoulder symptoms in individuals with hEDS/HSD. Her research addresses a significant knowledge gap in shoulder care, where hypermobility‑related pathology is common but under‑represented in the literature, contributing to diagnostic uncertainty and variable management pathways. Her work aims to advance evidence‑informed assessment, rehabilitation strategies, and interdisciplinary communication for clinicians managing hypermobility‑related shoulder disorders. She presents nationally and internationally and is committed to improving clinical understanding and care pathways for this under‑recognised patient group.