Complications Linked To Muscular Dystrophy

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a condition characterized by the abnormal sideways curving of the spine. While the condition can occur by itself, it's also often a complication of muscular dystrophy. Many of these patients have scoliosis, and in this case, the condition is caused by progressive weakness in the muscles that support the spinal column. Most patients don't develop scoliosis until after the disease has progressed enough so they are no longer able to walk or stand. If this is combined with progressive tilting of the patient's pelvis, it can be difficult to sit because there's an uneven distribution of weight between the buttocks. As with other complications, the presence of scoliosis varies widely depending on the type of muscular dystrophy and symptom progression. Some patients with congenital muscular dystrophy might have scoliosis from birth. With Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy, scoliosis tends to develop within the first ten years of the patient's life. Seventy to ninety percent of teenagers with Duchenne muscular dystrophy develop scoliosis. The condition has also been seen in the Becker, limb-girdle, and facioscapulohumeral subtypes.

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