Brenda Song, MD, is a neurologist who directs the UMass Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Program, and she is a pioneer in organizing multidisciplinary care for Duchenne populations. She explains how physical therapy, stretching, and supportive equipment can help people with Duchenne maintain mobility and manage contractures.
Transcript
Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients have a primary disorder with progressive weakness and muscle loss as a result of their DMD.
With such a problem, we see patients developing contractures. Patients are in need of a PT eval to assess the status of the range of motion and the risk of contractures, and how to prevent it with treatment with PT.
And they also needed on a consultative basis to identify the neural rehab needs for equipment and for treatment regimens like orthotics. Besides home stretching regimen for educating the patients with.
And so for families who neglect that — you will see that impacting the milestone of loss of standing and loss of walking, because that’s going to be driven by the range of motion and contractures, and they will be missing out on the necessary equipment that is so much needed to enhance their daily mobility as well as ADLs.
