What Are Muscular Diseases?
Muscular diseases refer to conditions that affect the muscles, which play a vital role in enabling body movement. These disorders disrupt the structure or function of muscle cells, significantly impairing muscular performance. Muscular diseases can occur at any stage of life—from infancy and childhood to adolescence, adulthood, and old age—affecting individuals of all ages.
What Are the Symptoms of Muscular Diseases?
Muscular diseases are common and can hinder individuals from performing routine daily activities. Their symptoms include:
- Gait disturbances due to weakness in the hip and surrounding muscles
- Difficulty in standing up and walking
- Children affected at an early age may frequently want to be carried, especially while walking or climbing stairs
- During adolescence, affected individuals may lag behind their peers, show changes in gait, and demonstrate unusual movement patterns
- Weakness in spinal and surrounding muscles may lead to difficulties in lifting, extending, or moving the arms
- If the hands and feet are affected, there may be frequent tripping, falling (leading to faster shoe wear), and trouble performing fine motor tasks
- In rare cases, drooping eyelids and restricted eye movements may occur
- Involvement of swallowing or respiratory muscles
- Frequent falls and rapid fatigue
Who Is Affected by Muscular Diseases?
Depending on the abnormality in the muscle tissue, the severity of muscular diseases can vary—ranging from mild symptoms to severe impairments that significantly reduce life expectancy. Types include:
- Muscular Dystrophies (e.g., Duchenne, Becker, Facioscapulohumeral, Limb-Girdle, Distal, Emery-Dreifuss)
- Congenital Muscular Dystrophies
- Myopathies
- Myotonias
- Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis
What Are the Goals of Ergotherapy in Muscular Diseases?
The goal of rehabilitation in muscular diseases is to improve the quality of life for both the child and the family, and to support the child’s independent participation in daily activities. Specific objectives of ergotherapy include:
- Preserving muscle strength or slowing down muscle weakness
- Supporting and protecting joints during different stages of the disease, and improving function using appropriate tools, equipment, and assistive devices
- Teaching fatigue management strategies
- Teaching joint and energy conservation techniques
- Enhancing functional capacity to promote independence in daily living activities
- Providing home rehabilitation to ensure a safer and more energy-efficient living environment
- Using preventive rehabilitation approaches to maintain existing functional capacity for as long as possible
Through individualized therapy and adaptive strategies, ergotherapy plays a vital role in maximizing functional independence and well-being in individuals with muscular diseases.