What are Muscle Diseases?
Muscle diseases are disorders affecting the muscles that help the body move. They disrupt the structure or function of muscle cells—the building blocks of muscle tissue—and significantly impair their activities. These diseases can occur at any age, from infancy to childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age, and are a common type of illness.
What Are the Symptoms of Muscle Diseases?
Muscle diseases are quite common and prevent individuals from performing their normal activities. Their symptoms include:
- Weakness in the muscles around the hips causing walking difficulties
- Difficulty standing up and walking
- Children with muscle disease appearing at a young age often want to be carried while walking or climbing stairs
- Adolescents lagging behind peers, showing changes in walking and movement patterns
- Weakness in muscles around the spine leading to difficulty raising, extending, or moving arms
- If the hands and feet are affected, stumbling and falling while walking (which can cause shoes to wear out quickly), and inability to perform fine hand tasks
- Rarely, eyelids gradually droop, and eye movements may be restricted
- Involvement of swallowing or respiratory muscles
- Frequent falls and rapid fatigue
Who Can Get Muscle Diseases?
Due to abnormalities in muscles, some types present with mild symptoms, while others lead to severe disability and can reduce life expectancy. These include:
- Muscular Dystrophies (Duchenne, Becker, Facioscapulohumeral, Limb-Girdle, Distal, Emery-Dreifuss)
- Congenital Muscular Dystrophies
- Myopathies
- Myotonias
- Dermatomyositis-Polymyositis
What Are the Goals of Occupational Therapy in Muscle Diseases?
The aim of rehabilitation approaches in muscle diseases is to improve the quality of life for the child and their family by enabling independent participation in activities. The objectives of these applications are:
- To maintain muscle strength or delay strength loss
- To use appropriate tools, equipment, and devices to support, protect joints, and improve function at different stages of the disease
- To teach methods to cope with fatigue
- To teach joint protection and energy conservation techniques
- To increase functional capacity and ensure independence in daily living activities
- To provide a safer and less energy-consuming living environment through home rehabilitation
- To preserve existing functional capacity for a longer period through preventive rehabilitation approaches