Muscle Disorders

Muscle Strain

Strain
- the overstretching or tear of a muscle
- Often caused by lifting to much weight, lifting improperly, or excessive use.
Symptoms
- Soreness
- Pain
- Tenderness
Treatment
- R.I.C.E.
Sprain
- Occurs in joints or ligaments

Muscle Spasm

Myalgia and Fibromyalgia

Myalgia
- Muscle pain
Fibromyalgia
- Chronic muscle pain lasting 3 or more months in specific muscle points
Symptoms
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Feelings of numbness and tingling
- Joint pain
Treatment
- Pain relief
- Chiropractic procedures
- Plenty of sleep
- Relaxation techniques
- Exercise regularly
- Stretching exercises
- Massage therapy
- Prescribed medication

Hernia

Flatfeet (Talipes)

Flatfeet
- Weakening of the leg muscles that support the arch
- Downward pressure eventually flattens out the arch
Treatment
- Exercise
- Massage
- Corrective shoes

Tetanus (Lockjaw)

Tetanus
- An infectious disease characterized by continuous spasms of the voluntary muscles.
- Caused by a toxin, Clostridium tetani, a bacterium that enters through a puncture wound
Signs and Symptoms
- Spasms and stiffening of the jaw muscles
- Stiffness of neck muscles
- Difficulty swallowing
- Stiffness of abdominal muscles
- Painful body spasms
- Fever
- Sweating
- Elevated blood pressure
- Rapid heart rate
Prevented by a tetanus anti toxoid vaccine.

Torticollis (Wry Neck)

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Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular Dystrophy
- Group of diseases in which the muscle cells deteriorate
Most common is Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy
- Genetic defect
- Child appears normal at birth
- As growth occurs, muscle cells die
- Child will use ability to walk between ages 9-11
Treatment
- Physical therapy
- Respiratory therapy (Eventually may need a respirator)
- Orthopedic appliances
- Drug therapy

Myasthenia Gravis (Grave Muscle Weakness)

Myasthenia Gravis
- Connection between the nerves and the muscle is lost
- Considered a autoimmune disease
- Results in the muscle weakness of the voluntary muscles that is more pronounced with activity and improves with rest
Treatment
- Rest
- Cholinesterase inhibitors
- If necessary, removal of the thymus gland
- Remission (a long term disappearance of symptoms) can occur but most need to be on medication indefinitely

Injuries

Tennis Elbow

Also called lateral epicondylitis
- Occurs at the bony prominence on the sides of the elbow
- The tendon that connects the arm muscle to the elbow becomes inflamed due to repetitive use.
Treatment
- Pain relief
- Ice packs
- Surgery is last resort

Shin Splints

Injury to the muscle tendon in the front of the shin
- Generally occurs when jogging/running
Prevent by selecting proper shoe with good arch support
Treatment
- Ice packs
- No running for 2-4 weeks

Rotator Cuff Disease

Inflammation of a group of tendons that fuse together and surround the shoulder joint.
- Due to repetitive overhead swinging motion
Treatment
- Rest
- Physical therapy
- Steroid injection

Therapeutic Options

Rehabilitation: retraining of injured or unused muscles.
Massage is used along with physiotherapy
- Physiotherapy: treatment using light, heat, cold, water, electricity, massage, and exercise.
Electrical Stimulation focuses on nerve tissues.
- It increases Range of Motion (ROM)
- Muscle strength
- Re-education
- Improving muscle tone
- Enhances function
- Pain control
- Accelerating wound healing
- Muscle spasm reduction
Intramuscular injections
- Intramuscular means into the muscle
It is important to know the major skeletal muscles and underlying area
- Most common intramuscular sites
- Deltoid (upper arm)
- Vastus lateralis (anterior thigh)
- Dorsal gluteal area or
- Ventral gluteal area of the buttocks

Range of Motion

Range of motion: amount of movement at each joint. It is related to flexibility.
Active ROM: you move the joint through its range of motion.

Passive ROM: someone else moves the joint through its range of motion.