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Background  Unexplained gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and joint hypermobility (JHM) are common in the general population, the latter described as benign joint hypermobility syndrome (BJHS) when associated with musculo‐skeletal symptoms. Despite overlapping clinical features, the prevalence of JHM or BJHS in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders has not been examined.

Methods  The incidence of JHM was evaluated in 129 new unselected tertiary referrals (97 female, age range 16–78 years) to a neurogastroenterology clinic using a validated 5‐point questionnaire. A rheumatologist further evaluated 25 patients with JHM to determine the presence of BJHS. Groups with or without JHM were compared for presentation, symptoms and outcomes of relevant functional GI tests.

Key Results  Sixty‐three (49%) patients had evidence of generalized JHM. An unknown aetiology for GI symptoms …