Essay On Muscular Dystrophy

Because patients with muscular dystrophy are especially susceptible to muscle damage, Physical Therapists, who are skilled in the involvement of skeletal muscle and the effects that skeletal muscle has on joints, are Ideal clinicians to care for patients with muscular dystrophy. 2 Physical therapy is most successful when it is began as soon as possible, preferably right after receiving a diagnosis. This way the physical therapist can teach skills and begin interventions before severe joint tightness, muscle tightness, or contractures develop. 1,2 “Light to moderate exercise has been shown to be benefit patients with muscular dystrophy by slowing down the progression of muscle weakness”, however “Over exercising can damage muscles.” 1,2 Maximal
PTs and PTAs may even go to the patient’s home or school to teach safe handling skills such as transferring, lifting or accommodations to allow for participation. Furthermore, for many patients, aqua therapy is helpful because it does not require eccentric contractions which minimizes muscle damage.2,3,4 as a member of the patient’s treatment team, PTs work together with the patient’s other health care providers such as “speech/language pathologists or occupational therapists”, to collaborate on all the patient’s needs as “treatment priorities shift”.1 Since muscular dystrophy is a chronic progressive disease, many parents of patients with muscular dystrophy worry about their child “losing skills”. Therefor to treat the patient holistically, it is essential to teach confidence, independence, how to advocate for themselves, and lead patients to empowerment. 3 Physical therapists who treat patients with muscular dystrophy “become involved with the ‘patient’s and the families’ life from the moment they meet them.” For example “you become the one who will end up going to graduations and other life events because you become such an important part of the family.”