{"id":3681,"date":"2019-02-05T07:58:19","date_gmt":"2019-02-05T07:58:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=3681"},"modified":"2021-05-27T13:06:09","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T13:06:09","slug":"15-signs-of-muscular-dystrophy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/15-signs-of-muscular-dystrophy\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Signs of Muscular Dystrophy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Muscular Dystrophy or MD is defined as being a group of genetic diseases that are indicated by loss of muscle mass and progressive weakness. There are around 30 kinds of muscular dystrophy. The symptoms of each type vary. Each of the types of muscular dystrophy is caused by a specific genetic mutation for that particular type of disease. Both men and women develop muscular dystrophy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the most common type of MD is called Duchenne and it primarily affects young boys. Other types of muscular dystrophy are more common in women and there are some types that affect men more frequently. No matter what type of muscular dystrophy a person may have, the symptoms are fairly similar for each type and a person that is suffering from these symptoms should be checked out by their doctor. Here are eight signs of muscular dystrophy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Frequently Falling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A person who is experiencing muscular dystrophy will experience weakness<\/a>. This is caused by a loss in their muscles. This loss of muscle mass is one of the reasons that a person who has muscular dystrophy tends to fall frequently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, one out of every three patients who suffer from the facioscapulohumeral disease, which is one of the common types of muscular dystrophy, will fall down at least once per month. Frequently falling may not seem like too big of a deal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, when you consider the fact that many of the people who fall also injure themselves in some way, the issue becomes more serious. How often a person falls correlates with how severe their condition is. A patient who has a greater loss of muscle will tend to fall more frequently than a person who has less loss of muscle mass. If you find that you are falling frequently it is something to report to your doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Trouble Getting Up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A healthy person can easily stand up from a sitting or a lying position. In fact, it is something that most people simply take for granted because they can stand up so easily. However, for a child or an adult who has muscular dystrophy, simply standing up from a seated or lying position can be quite challenging. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like some of the other symptoms of this type of genetic condition, the muscle weakness, as well as the loss of muscle mass, is what plays a role in this particular symptom<\/a>. When you are sitting down and trying to stand up, you have to push up using the feet. The feet muscles have to flex or tighten until you stand straight up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weakened muscles of the feet make it hard to get up without feeling pain and discomfort. This symptom can be quite frustrating and as the muscles deteriorate further, standing up can become even more difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Running and Jumping Difficulties<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Almost every muscle <\/a>found in the legs is activated when you are jumping, running, or doing other types of activities. When moving the legs forward, the quadriceps are mainly used. These are the muscles located in the front area of the thighs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quads help bend the hip and then straighten and stabilize the knees in order to absorb the shock when the feet land on the ground. The hamstrings are located in the back of the thigh are activated as the body is moving forward. The hamstrings straighten out the hip and start the bending of the knee. The muscles that are located in the lower part of the legs are also activated in order to flex and to extend the feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In people who have muscular dystrophy, the weakened muscles will not allow this freedom of movement in the legs. This symptom may come and go at first, which is why it is often ignored at first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Waddling gait<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The gait <\/a>refers to a manner of walking. Waddling or myopathic gait is an abnormality. Waddling is caused by a weakness that occurs in the proximal muscles located in the pelvic girdle. The pelvic girdle is a network of muscles and bones that connect the legs and the hips with the torso. When the pelvic girdle is weak, the balance of a person is disrupted when they were walking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This causes them to have a waddling gait. Waddling gait can be caused by various things including pregnancy. However, one of the most common causes of myopathic gait is muscular dystrophy. One particular type of MD that often causes waddling gait is Becker Muscular Dystrophy. There are several ways that this symptom is often managed. Some of the ways that waddling gait can be managed include medication, assistive devices, gait training, and in some cases surgery may be the best option for curing this issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Toe Walking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common signs of muscular dystrophy, especially in children, is walking on the toes. There is evidence that shows that walking on the toes occurs more frequently during the late stages of Duchenne. The main reason that this symptom may occur could be because of the shortening of the cords in the heels or contracture. In certain instances, walking on the toes will occur during earlier stages, before contracture even occurs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who have muscular dystrophy will often walk on their toes as they are adjusting to lumbar hyperlordosis, which is an exaggerated curve that occurs in the spine<\/a>. Another reason is because of the weakness of their hip flexors. At times, the foot dorsiflexors become weakened with the genetic disorder muscular dystrophy. This may be another reason that a person with muscular dystrophy may start to walk on their toes. A child who is only walking on their toes should be checked for muscular dystrophy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Calf Enlargement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common sign of a person who is suffering from muscular dystrophy is enlarged calf muscles. Since muscular dystrophy is associated with the muscles weakening, it may seem a bit odd that the calves become enlarged with the disease. The reason that a person who has MD may experience enlarged calves is because of an accumulation of fluid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the fluid<\/a> starts to build up it will affect certain areas of the body. This happens when the muscles contract. The calf muscles are the muscles that are affected most frequently. Unfortunately, when it comes to muscular dystrophy, enlarged calves are one symptom that is often overlooked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, when enlarged calves are accompanied by some of the other symptoms on this list, the chances are quite high that a person has muscular dystrophy.  It is quite common for a patient with muscular dystrophy to experience painful sensations and spasms in the calves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Muscle Stiffness and Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Muscle stiffness<\/a> and pain is a common symptom for many different types of musculoskeletal conditions. This includes muscular dystrophy. In fact, muscle stiffness and pain is one of the most significant features of these types of conditions. One of the causes of this pain could be caused by postural problems. However, it may also be caused by inflammation in a patient\u2019s muscles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the muscles in a person\u2019s body start to weaken a person will often overuse the muscles because they are struggling to get up and do other types of activities. When the muscles are being overworked they will cause a person to experience pain. Another problem is stiffness, which occurs during long periods of inactivity. One of the best ways to deal with this is to use cold and hot packs. The cold will help to numb the pain and the heat can help to alleviate the stiffness that is occurring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Learning Disabilities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A person who suffers from muscular dystrophy will often have impairments in their brain function. This is why it becomes hard for a person with MD to learn in the same way as a healthy person. There have been studies that have shown that boys who suffer from Duchenne muscular dystrophy tend to display cognitive<\/a> profiles and also exhibit neurobehavioral comorbidities such as autism, ADHD, or OCD. In addition, boys who suffer from this type of muscular dystrophy often have a lower IQ when compared to controls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is because of the cognitive impairment that they suffer from. Many children who suffer from MD often have trouble reading and difficulty mastering academic materials. They may have memory issues and suffer from dyslexia. Other mental issues may occur as well. All of these can make it difficult for these children to learn at the same pace as other children their age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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