Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a muscle wasting condition caused by the lack of a protein called dystrophin. It usually affects only boys. It is a serious condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. Owing to the lack of the dystrophin protein, muscle fibres break down and are replaced by fibrous and or fatty tissue causing the muscle to weaken gradually.
In the early stages, boys with DMD show signs of muscle weakness, such as difficulties running, jumping, climbing stairs and getting up from the floor. They can develop a waddling gait (walking style) with their walking speed reducing as weakness progresses.
Steroids help to maintain muscle strength and function over a certain period of time and can delay the time when a wheelchair will be needed. Once needing a wheelchair full time the maintenance of good posture is increasingly difficult and complications are more likely.
