Early descriptions of laxity and bruising attributed to antiquity
eventevidence: historical record
The standard historiography (Parapia and Jackson, 2008) traces descriptions consistent with joint laxity and easy bruising to Hippocratic-era medicine. These are attributions made in hindsight: the syndrome had not been described, and no one in these accounts was diagnosed with it.
Not medical advice. This page summarizes research and does not recommend any course of care.
| EDS types | unspecified |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 400 BC |
| Diagnostic criteria | Before formal classification |
| Last checked | 2026-09-16 |
Evidence
historicalretrospective account
Parapia and Jackson trace the earliest descriptions to Hippocrates, c. 400 BC.