Muscle complications


Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) Think muscle weakness and lots of damage!

  • It is a muscle wasting condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. This is due to the lack of protein, dystrophin. This causes muscle fibers to break down and instead are replaced by fibrous or fatty tissue that cause the muscle to gradually weaken

  • Dystrophin prevents contraction induced damage

  • Caused by a genetic  mutation

  • Symptoms: 

- difficulties running, walking as fast as others, jumping, getting up from the floor

- tendency to fall often

- a waddling gait

-learning to speak later than usual



Diagnostic Test

  • Biopsy: muscle cells are looked under a microscope to see if there is damage

  • Genetic Testing: to see if the mutation is present

  • No cure but some things that can help

  • Physical Therapy: to restore muscle strength and function through exercise 

  • Steroids: to decrease inflammation and may influence the repair of weakened muscle mass membranes




Plantar Fasciitis 

  • Inflammation of a ligament that runs from the back of your heal to your phalanges

  • Caused by improper shoes, flat feet, sitting or standing for long periods of time, and improper walking surfaces 

  • Symptoms: 

- tenderness, pain, or swelling in your heel



Diagnostic Test

  • MRI: to see if there is thickening of the plantar fascia (sign of inflammation). A normal thickness is 2-4 mm 

  • No cure but some things that can help

  • Shoe inserts

  • Massages/Rolling a tennis ball under your foot

  • Icing the foot




Myasthenia Gravis (MG)

  • Autoimmune disorder where your antibodies destroy the communication between nerves and muscle, resulting in muscle weakness that affects the muscles of your eyes, throat, mouth and limbs 

  • Symptoms: 

- droopy eyelids

- difficulty speaking , chewing, or swallowing

- double vision

- difficulty raising arms and lifting objects

- trouble with facial  expressions 



Diagnostic Test

  • Blood test: to look for the type of antibody that is responsible for blocking the signals being sent from the nerves to the muscles 

  • Electromyography (EMG): which involves inserting small needles into your muscle to measure if there’s enough electrical activity in them at rest, during slight contraction, and very forceful contraction

  • No cure but some things that can help

  • Medication to strengthen electrical signals

  • Muscle strengthener in eyedrop form for the eyes




Cerebral Palsy

  • Caused by abnormal brain development and results in the inability to inability one's muscles

  • Symptoms: 

- lack of muscle coordination

- stiff or tight muscles

-walking on toes

-muscles that are too relaxed

-shaking/tremor

-delays in motor skills

-difficulty with precise movements (writing, buttoning a shirt, etc)



Diagnostic Test

  • Test reflexes to see if they’re fast enough, test muscle posture, and coordination

  • MRI: to test if the brain has lesions caused by oxygen deprivation which can increase the chances of having cerebral palsy 

  • No cure but some things that can help

  • Muscle relaxant

  • Physical therapy to strengthen the muscles that are weak and to relax the muscles that are too stiff

  • Exercise