For many patients, reaching an Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) diagnosis is a frustrating journey often fraught with medical gaslighting, misdiagnosis, and long wait times to see a specialist. A new app recently released by Canada’s Kite Research Institute, known as the Hypermobility Assessment Tool, hopes to make this process smoother for both patients and medical professionals.
What it is
The Hypermobility Assessment Tool (HAT) is an app designed to empower patients who suspect they have EDS by putting the screening process directly into their hands. It also provides physicians with a quick, reliable way to assess for EDS during patient visits.
The Creators
Behind this app is a team of scientists led by Dr. Nimish Mittal (Co-Medical Director for the EDS Program at the Toronto General Hospital) and Dr. Babak Taati (a Senior Scientist at KITE). Impressively, this app also received approval from Health Canada, Canada’s primary regulatory body for public health.
How it Works
Using a smartphone camera and AI-based joint angle analysis, HAT assesses joint hypermobility, one of the hallmark features of EDS, in nine areas: the elbows, knees, thumbs, little fingers, and spine. Each hypermobile joint receives one point on a nine-point scale. The app then calculates the total and generates a Beighton Score, which users can share with their doctor. The Beighton Score is the most widely used screening tool for EDS, in particular hypermobile EDS (hEDS), and a score of 5 out of 9 or higher is considered positive.
Why it is Important
As awareness has grown for EDS in recent years, so too has the number of individuals requesting evaluation for this condition. Despite progress, many physicians remain unfamiliar with EDS, often leading to misdiagnosis. For example, in a recent retrospective study published this year, 94.4% of hypermobile EDS (hEDS) patients were incorrectly diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder before finally receiving their correct diagnosis of hEDS. HAT, instead, makes it easy for individuals to screen for EDS in the privacy of their own home, and share their results with their physician; a step that could help prevent misdiagnosis.
Even when doctors are familiar with EDS, visually screening for hypermobile joints can be challenging and accuracy can vary between practitioners. Additionally, while small plastic Beighton scoring tools exist to measure joint hypermobility, many doctors either don’t possess them or have not had the proper training to use them. HAT hopes to change this, by giving doctors an easy way to evaluate patients who suspect they may have EDS, regardless of their training.
Lastly, this app aims to help clinics, like KITE, deal with the growing demand for EDS assessments. “We’ve observed a marked rise in referrals over the past few years, likely driven by greater public awareness and social media”, says Dr. Mittal. “On many days, we see 30–100 referral requests, and a substantial proportion do not ultimately meet criteria for EDS or generalized hypermobility spectrum disorders after assessment.”
How Accurate is it?
KITE’s senior scientist, Dr. Taati, trained the app on 100 people, then tested it on 125 patients referred to Dr. Mittal’s clinic for suspected joint hypermobility. Their research found that the app accurately identified hypermobility in 91.9% of cases. While this is certainly extremely promising news, larger follow-up studies are needed.
More research, though, is underway. According to Dr. Mittal, “we’re currently running a prospective, real-world study at the GoodHope EDS Clinic, Toronto General Hospital to further refine the app’s sensitivity and specificity. We’ll also assess usability across different clinical settings to ensure consistent performance outside a research environment.”
Two Notes of Caution
First, an EDS diagnosis cannot be made based on joint hypermobility alone. Thus, while this app can screen for hypermobility, a full diagnostic evaluation must still be carried out by a qualified medical practitioner. In order to receive an EDS diagnosis, individuals must meet other major and minor criteria (e.g., see hEDS diagnostic criteria) that go beyond mere joint hypermobility.
Second, it is important to remember that joints often stiffen with age. While people with EDS can experience this as well, many also have had years of injuries or chronic pain, which can further contribute to reduced joint mobility. Therefore, patients using this app must not only take into account their current hypermobility score, but also their past mobility as well. For example, a 45-year-old may only receive a Beighton score of 4/9, one point below the diagnostic threshold of 5/9, as their hands and spine may have stiffened over time. However, if they could touch the floor and bend their thumbs to their wrists (both elements of the Beighton Score) until their 20s or 30s, this historical hypermobility must be also taken into account as part of their entire patient profile when assessing for an EDS. “We advise users to share this context with their primary [care] clinician for a comprehensive evaluation that considers historical flexibility, imaging, and other systemic features”, says Dr. Mittal.
Is it Available in my Country?
Currently, the app is only available in Canada. However, KITE is already in the process of making this app available in the United States. “We’re preparing an FDA resubmission now. Timing will depend on classification guidance and the review process; a 4–8 month window is a reasonable estimate, but the final timeline is subject to FDA review”, says Dr. Mittal. “Our goal is availability in the U.S., Canada, and additional markets thereafter.”
Where Can I Download This App?
This app is available for free on both Android and Apple devices. Click the hyperlinks below:
Jacqueline Teti, author and patient
with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder
November, 2025
