Activities that Benefit Muscular Dystrophy Patients

Activity should focus on preventing the contractures. When some group of muscles become weak and are not used for a long time, they lose their stretchiness. Things are further made worse due to the development of joint stiffness. When joint becomes fixed at one place, it is called contracture and is the cause of various deformities.

Most common places of contractures and deformities are lower limbs and their joints. Ankle and hip joint are among the first one to get affected. The reason being that, as the MD progresses child or a person suffering from MD spends more and more time sitting.

Therefore whether a person is in ambulatory stage or wheelchair, passive stretching of various muscles is extremely important to delay or prevent the development of contractures. Stretching should not be limited to lower limbs, upper limbs should also be involved in the stretching activities.