If your kid is affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), it is important for you to know about the best ways of dealing with the condition. Muscular dystrophy consists of group of diseases, which result in the weakening of muscles along with reduced flexibility. DMD accounts for being the most common type of muscular dystrophy. It occurs because of flaws in the gene, which controls how your body keeps the muscles healthy. This disease affects boys and the symptoms start appearing from early childhood.

Treatment
There is no specific treatment for DMD. However, there are several ways, including medicines and therapy, to deal with the symptoms and to protect the muscles.

Several steroids such as prednisone help in slowing down muscle damage. Children taking this medicine are able to walk for two to five years longer than they would usually do. Lung and heart functions are also improved.
DMD leads to heart problems and hence, you should take your child to a heart doctor for regular checkups until the age of 10.
In some cases, a surgery may be required to fix their shortened muscles, for straightening the spine, or for treating a heart or lung problem.
Taking care of your child
If your child has DMD, it does not mean that he will have to refrain from activities such as school, sports and spending time with friends. By sticking to the right treatment plan, you will be able to make your child active.

Stand and walk: Being in an upright position will keep your child s bones strong and the spine straight. You can get your child braces or standing walkers, which will help him in terms of balance and mobility.
Eat right: Although there is no special diet for DMD, several food items should be taken for preventing problems related to weight. Your child should eat the proper amount of food with a proper balance of nutrients and calories regularly.
Stay active: You should ensure that your child exercises regularly. Regular stretching exercises help in keeping the muscles and joints limber, which makes him feel better. You can avail the help of a physical therapist for an exercise schedule.
You can look for and join local support groups associated with DMD, as other families living with DMD can be a source of good advice and understanding about life with DMD.

Muscular Dystrophy -  How To Deal With It?

Gone are the days when bone ailments and damages were detected based on the experience and superficial conversations made by the physicians. These days with the advent of radio waves, medical science has made significant progress that has enabled a detailed overview of what exactly is going on inside your body and what should be the most relevant treatment in that regard. Magnetic Resonance Imaging or more commonly known as MRIs are a boon when it comes to diagnosing orthopedic and musculoskeletal complaints.

Common Uses of the Procedure:

MR imaging is usually the best choice for examining the:

body s major joints.
spine for back pain
soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments) and bones of the extremities.
MR imaging is typically performed to diagnose or evaluate:

degenerative joint disorders such as arthritis.
tears of the menisci, ligaments and tendons (knee) or rotator cuff and labrum (shoulder and hip).
fractures (in selected patients).
spinal disk abnormalities (such as a herniated disk).
the integrity of the spinal cord after trauma.
sports-related injuries and work-related disorders caused by repeated strain, vibration or forceful impact.
infections (such as osteomyelitis).
tumors (primary tumors and metastases) involving soft tissues around the joints and extremities (such as muscles, bones and joints).
pain, swelling or bleeding in the tissues in and around the joints and extremities.
congenital malformations of the extremities in children and infants.
developmental abnormalities of the extremities in children and infants.
congenital and idiopathic (developing during adolescence) scoliosis prior to surgery.
tethered spinal cord (abnormal stretching in the spinal cord) in infants and children.
The Process:

In this process, X-rays and radio waves are subjected upon the affected region to examine the conditions of the bones, tissues, muscles and also detect the presence of tumours. This is majorly a non-invasive test and is painless. It does not use ionizing rays and therefore does not harm the body in any which way. The MRIs capture a detailed picture of the organs and the internal body structures and then transmit them onto a computer screen for the physician to monitor the inside story.

The Benefits: 

MRI is an imaging technique that does not require exposure to radiation.
MR images of the soft-tissue structures of the body (particularly muscles, bones and joints) are often clearer and more detailed than with other imaging methods. This detail makes MRI an invaluable tool in early diagnosis and evaluation of many conditions, including tumors.
MRI can distinguish abnormal tissues from normal tissues much more accurately than most other imaging tests (x-ray, CT, etc.).
MRI enables the discovery of abnormalities that might be obscured by bone with other imaging methods.
The contrast material used in MRI exams is less likely to produce an allergic reaction than the iodine-based contrast materials used for conventional x-rays and CT scanning.
MR images allow the physician to clearly see even very small tears and injuries to tendons, ligaments and muscles and some fractures that cannot be seen on x-rays and CT.

Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal MRI

Your shoulders are one of the most important parts of your body, but sadly it is also one of the most neglected parts. People use their shoulders for day to day activities. Without shoulders it would be very difficult to even do a simple activity like lifting a fallen paper from the ground. Like your other body-parts, shoulders also need proper attention and care.

Why is shoulder mobility so important?
Whether it is about moving a growing child, lifting a barbeque table or about moving heavy luggage, actions require shoulder mobility. If you find it difficult to do these activities it is highly probable that you have shoulder impingement syndrome. This syndrome occurs when the rotator cuff muscles become inflamed and irritated and result in severe pain and difficulty while moving one s shoulder. Weak shoulders also make your posture look bad, it can cause grave strains in your neck and back and make you look hunched which is not at all attractive for your appearance.

Different kinds of shoulder injuries and causes of shoulder immobility:

Rotator cuff injury

Frozen shoulder

Onset of arthritis

Shoulder instability

Injury to the tendons and ligaments

Shoulder dislocation

Torn rotator cuff

Impingement   It refers to the excessive friction of the shoulder muscles against the top part of the shoulder blade.

How can you improve shoulder mobility?

You can improve your shoulder mobility with the help of some exercises. For example, stand straight with your hip and feet apart. Move your hands behind your back and try to interlock your fingers, if you face difficulty in doing so, use a towel instead. Hold this position for a minute or so.
Sit and keep your feet and knees straight pointing towards the direction of your eyes. Touch your shoulder blade by bringing your hands backward, touch your elbow with your other hand and bring it upwards. Sit straight, hold your head up and breathe slowly. Hold this position for a minute and then repeat again.
You can also improve your shoulder mobility with the help of yoga. Yoga is all about relieving your tension and stress, hence it is very beneficial to loosen up tight shoulders and it makes you much healthier by improving shoulder mobility. Stand straight with your feet at least four feet apart and then bend your left foot slightly towards to the right. Make your right foot bend 90 degrees. Raise your right arm towards the left and bend your body. Inhale and exhale. Switch sides after taking five breaths.
Physiotherapy For Shoulder Mobility-

Physical Therapy is not just scientific; it is also very thorough and very methodical in its way of healing and remedying clients with many aches and pains. A therapist is well trained and very careful in massaging and handling delicate parts of the body such as the vertebrae, extremities and in cases of temporomandibular joint neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction. Physical Therapy is a distinct specialization in the practice of physiotherapy.

Before patients are treated with the therapy, it is very important that they undergo a preliminary assessment of what ails them. Their dysfunctions are determined and their biochemical systems are assessed as well. The body's posture as well as the placement is analyzed and almost all areas of the entire body in terms of the position and functioning of the musculoskeletal system is considered just to make sure that the root cause of the problem is discovered and treated. 

The aim of the therapy is to alleviate pain, strengthen the body, and improve movement and usability of the limbs as well as the other areas of the body through the use of the hands. The therapy also utilizes various work-out regimens as well as a home carry over system to make sure that the intervention plan will work as expected. More than just treatment, physical therapy is a means of assisting a patient to recover body movement, strength and function, therefore the need to have a strong determination to improve from the patient is definitely required. Here are some physical exercises to improve shoulder mobility-

First step is to provide adequate rest to the shoulder. Avoid using the affected arm too much. Keep it in a comfortable position. Do not strain the arm.

Cold compressions can help to ease pain and swelling. Alternate applications of hot and cold compressions help to reduce inflammation and provide quicker relief.

Keeping the arm elevated in a swing is recommended. It helps to drain the fluid or oedema and reduce pain.

Other exercises recommended are basic shoulder strengthening exercises. Example of one such exercise is gently pulling an elastic tubing attached to a door knob, towards your body. These can be performed twice daily, starting five times with each arm.

Wall push exercises are those that strengthen shoulders, forearms, biceps and triceps. You must stand at least a feet away from the wall and push against the wall, for a count of 5 to 10.

Shoulder press ups are exercises that can be comfortably done while sitting on a chair. Keep your arms on the armrest of the chair. Instead of putting the weight on your feet, rise up slowly by putting the weight on your hands. Repeat this 5 times twice or thrice daily.

There are isometric shoulder mobility exercises that involve muscle contraction and movement of limbs. It involves strengthening the muscles through extension, contraction, rotation and flexion of shoulder joint.

There are lateral rotation abduction exercises, lateral shoulder raises, lateral shoulder pull down.

There s a range of scapula squeeze exercises that involve strengthening and stabilising the shoulder blades.

Medicine balls and lightweight dumbbells can be used as props to exercise the shoulders.

A bad shoulder not only results in a bad posture but also prevents you from doing day to day activities. Hence it is necessary to take care of your shoulders and exercise daily to improve the mobility.

Shoulder Mobility - How You Can Improve it?

In Ayuveda, muscle cramp is known as  khalli vaata . Vyaana vaata it is a biological force that is responsible for regulating the functioning of your voluntary muscles. In case of a muscle cramp, the vyaana vaata gets impaired. Metabolic wastes are harmful toxins that tend to get accumulated in your system if not flushed out of your body and deposited between your muscle tissues and nerve-endings. This toxic waste is known as 'aama' in Ayurveda and it is known be a prominent cause of cramps. Besides aama, vata dosha is also responsible for muscles cramps.

Ayurveda provides a number of remedies to treat the problem of muscle cramps. The following are some of the most effective remedies to relief the discomfort of muscle cramps:
1. Drink warm milk to get instant relief from abdominal cramps. The alkaline properties of milk help to pacify the acidic condition in stomach that results in cramps. It is also a rich source of calcium which is known to aid in the relaxation of troubled muscles.
2. Physical activity including stretching exercise is effective in reducing the acute pain of leg cramps.
3. Garlic compound which is also called as 'Lagsunadivati' is helpful in relaxing muscles and it is also known to calm the  vata dosha  that aids in relieving muscle cramps.
4. Do warm up exercises and stretching exercises to lessen the risk of developing a muscle cramp during your workout session
5. Increase the intake of foods that are rich in minerals, calcium, potassium and magnesium as it is known to reduce the chances of muscle cramps.
6. Massage the painful region with 'prasarini taila' or 'mahanarayana taila' to relax the strained muscle.
7. Apply ice pack on the strained muscle to reduce the swelling and pain of the muscle.
8. Sinhanaada guggulu is well known to provide instant relief from muscle cramp. It has medicinal properties which have a mild laxative effect. It eases the problem of abdominal cramps and lessens the discomfort associated with it.
9. In case of extreme pain, 'Lakshmivilaas rasa',  Prataapa lankeswara rasa , are among the most effective Ayurvedic medications which are known to provide relief in case of chronic muscle cramps.

Muscle Cramps - How to Treat them Effectively through Ayurveda

Torn cartilages are quite a common form of injury occurring in the human body. While one can t always be too cautious of injuries, one can still try to be conscious of their muscles and do not move about in an abrupt manner to cause injury to themselves. Further, even though torn cartilages are very common, they are quite painful and most often they occur in the knee. Here are some tips to ensure that your torn cartilage heals well and you are exposed to less pain during the healing period:

Rest: You must take rest. While it is advised to take bed rest, humanly it is impossible to spend all day in bed. Thus one can move about a little but avoid walking and straining their legs and knee too much. At times crutches can be taken while taking a few steps in the room.

Ice Therapy: Putting ice bags in the affected area helps in relaxing the muscles and reducing the pain quite a lot. Though previously people adhered to putting hot water bags, the scenario is slowly changing to ice therapy.

Compress: When you are suffering from a torn cartilage, the doctor often puts a bandage on the knee to compress the area. This is done so that the muscles are brought together and they can heal on their own with time and rest.

Elevate the Knee: Often it is seen that during such cases, the knee or the hands are rested in an elevated platform. This platform is created with the help of a pillow mostly. This lets the cartilage get time to rest and heal on its own.

Avoid Strenuous Activities: This includes jumping, running, jogging, kicking etc, when it comes to the legs and writing, lifting weight etc. when it comes to the hands. These activities require a lot of strength and power and most of all the use of the cartilages. Since the cartilages are torn and in their healing mode, it is best to avoid such activities for a certain amount of time to not put pressure on the cartilages and damage them further.

Painkillers: It has been already mentioned that the healing period can be painful. Thus, the doctor may prescribe some painkillers to ease the pain during this time.

Thus, these are some of the easiest ways to deal with a torn cartilage. The recovery period may be painful, but it happens to many people and is completely healable in nature.

How To Deal With Torn Cartilages?

Do you know you can suffer from a torn bicep accidentally? A bicep is a muscle which begins from your upper arm and is attached to the shoulder via bones and to the elbows by tendons. If you do heavy lifting in the gym or somehow put excessive pressure on that area, chances are you may suffer from torn biceps.

There are two kinds of bicep tears you may encounter:

Complete Tears where the tendons are split into two parts resulting in tremendous pain.
Partial Tears result when the biceps are hurt but the tendon is not completely severed.
Among the various types of torn biceps, the muscle that is attached to the shoulder experiences the maximum number of bicep ruptures. Suddenly, the bicep tendons get detached from the bone resulting in pain and numbness. You will find a number of sportspersons suffering from this kind of torn biceps.

But why do your biceps get torn?

One of the reasons why you suffer torn biceps is a prolonged period of ignorance. If you have been putting continuous pressure on your shoulder, the biceps muscle can weaken over time. Overuse of the muscles can give rise to conditions of tendinitis (inflammation of the bone to muscle connecting tissue) and injuries in rotator cuff which, in future, might result in torn biceps.
A sudden injury like falling over your arms or hurting your shoulder can result in torn biceps.
Aging is another reason why you can have this complication. Added to this are unusually heavy tasks and overuse of shoulder which can result in this problem.
Some steroids such as Corticosteroids are directly related to the weakening of muscles and tendons.
When you suffer from torn biceps, you encounter symptoms such as:

Weakening of the elbow and the shoulder. You will find it troublesome to move your hand.
Swelling of the elbow with bruises visible on the elbow and the forearm.
You find trouble in twisting your forearm
You will experience spasms in the muscles.
You can also hear a snapping sound of the muscles.
What should you do if you face this problem?

Continuous applications of ice packs are a must. Repeat the activity 4 times a day with a duration of 20 minutes. You may need to do it for 2 or 3 days.
Avoid activities which put pressure on your hands and shoulders.
Consult a doctor immediately and get some painkillers as recommended.
If you have complete tears, you may need to undergo surgery. Talk to your doctor regarding that.

How to Treat Torn Biceps - Types, Causes, Symptoms

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