Iconic Symptoms Of Different Types Of Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular dystrophy, commonly known as MD, is a category of genetic diseases that lead to progressing muscle weakness and atrophy. Each type is caused by a gene mutation that affects certain proteins that help with healthy muscle development. Not all of the genes have been isolated. Because there are multiple subtypes, the symptoms and progression vary widely. Some types show symptoms in adulthood, while the most common begin showing symptoms in childhood. Some types have a shortened life expectancy, while others include a normal or mostly-normal life expectancy. The quality of life also varies depending on what muscle groups are affected. Different types have different common symptoms. It's important to be aware of how different symptoms present when isolating the subtype and determining treatment.

Waddling Gait

A waddling gait is one of the hallmark symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). This is the most common subtype and tends to present with symptoms in childhood. Medical professionals refer to this type of gait as a Trendelenburg gait. A Trendelenburg gait is caused by weakness in the hip muscles, and while it can be a sign of multiple subtypes of muscular dystrophy, but it isn't always. Other conditions that can cause a Trendelenburg gait are nerve damage, osteoarthritis, cleidocranial dysostosis, and poliomyelitis. When the patient takes a step, the hip on the side of the leg that's swinging will drop rather than staying in place. It's also common for patients to counteract this hip dipping by bending their torso toward their other side, which further exacerbates the waddling effect. A similar waddle can sometimes be caused by orthopedic conditions rather than hip muscle weakness, and it might be observed after an injury to the glutes or hips. Regardless of whether the gait is related to DMD or not, it should be evaluated by a doctor.

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Inability To Relax Muscles At Will

Myotonic dystrophy is one of the many subtypes of muscular dystrophy, and it is characterized most strongly by the inability to relax muscles at will. Other subtypes also include an inability to relax the muscles, but myotonic dystrophy is the only type with this as the hallmark symptom. Myotonic dystrophy affects both the muscles and varying organ systems throughout the body. Myotonic is an adjective form of myotonia, which is the medical term for an inability to relax the muscles. Like other forms of muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy includes progressive shrinking and weakness of the muscles. There are two types of myotonic dystrophy: type 1, the most severe, and type 2, a less severe form. Both are caused by different genes. myotonic dystrophy is among the most common subtypes of adult-onset muscular dystrophy, and it is the most common among adults with European ancestry. It's rare for non-white populations to have occurrences of myotonic dystrophy. The myotonia presents in a variety of ways. One example is a patient might have trouble releasing another's hand after they shake it.

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