ASK A PHYSIO
HEALTH CONDITIONS
I’m 18 year old. i have been diagnosed with hirayama disease 2 year ago. Can i do physical exercise like running, push up, pull up, and gym etc. with this disease.
With this diagnosis you can definitely continue to exercise, however there may be some modifications until your weakness has stopped progressing. Individuals with Hirayama disease usually experience weakness and a decrease in the size of the muscles in their hands and wrists that progresses for 2-4 years and then the progression/change in weakness spontaneously stops. It has been found that use of a cervical collar to avoid neck flexion (bending your head and neck forward) may alleviate muscle weakness and stop the progression of disease if started early. Use of the cervical collar is recommended for 3-4 years.
With this in mind, exercises that could jar your neck should be avoided. Supervised weight lifting program and cardiovascular exercise that would not cause jarring of the neck like stationary bike, and possibly running in a controlled environment could be appropriate. If you have any worsening of symptoms with exercise I would recommend you review what you have been doing and ensure nothing is causing you to repeatedly flex your neck.
You could work with a physiotherapist to develop an exercise program to keep you fit and active and participating your favourite activities throughout the course of this illness.
In patients with Duchene muscle dystrophy, does physiotherapy make benefit or harm to the muscles of the abdomen . If it is beneficial, what exercises do you recommend and to what extent and how frequent?
The role of physiotherapy in patients with Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy evolves with the progression of the disease. It is important that eccentric exercise be avoided at any point (that is loading a muscle when it is long). Often physiotherapy for patient’ with DMD involves play and functional movements targeted at maintaining independence for as long as possible.
Specific abdominal exercises might be prescribed depending on the individual and their presentation. For children with DMD, rolling on an exercise ball or doing small bounces on the ball can be fun and help maintain core strength, however without a full assessment I cannot recommend appropriate exercises and frequencies.
I would recommend you get support from a physiotherapist in the management of any individual with DMD. There may be funding available for this type of support depending on where you live
I am partial disabled, could you suggest some exercise for me to do. I’ve some small dumb bell I cannot hold anything in my right hand but anything you suggest I would be most grateful for.
Without knowing your current abilities, your goals and your history of exercise and injury I cannot offer specific exercises for you.
An inability to hold anything in your hand definitely does not exclude you from performing many forms of strength and cardiovascular training. Without knowing your goals or current state, going for a daily walk could be a good place to start
