Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, LGMD, is a genetic group of disorders that affects the muscles in the shoulders and hip girdles. These muscles slowly lose strength over many years. Generally weakness occurs first in the hips and legs, followed by the shoulders. According to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, LGMD can begin at any point in a person's life. People who are diagnosed in childhood often see a faster loss of muscle strength than those diagnosed in adolescence or in adulthood. Eventually, the person will need a motorized wheelchair or scooter to move around.
Swimming and Water Exercises
Since there is no cure for LGMD, exercise is essential to preserving muscle strength and flexibility. Swimming and water exercises are generally safe exercises for people with LGMD. Swimming is a full body workout, which allows all muscles to be involved without adding stress to the muscles or joints. Swimming and water exercises tone the muscles, which will make daily activities a little easier. You should never swim alone and you should never exercise if you are extremely tired, have muscle spasms or muscle cramps, reports the Muscle Dystrophy Campaign.
Stationary Bike and Arm Bike
Riding a stationary bike provides exercise in a safe environment, as opposed to the open road, to strengthen the muscles of the legs and hips. Working out with an arm bike allows you to strengthen the muscles of the lower arm, upper arm, shoulders and back. You sit in front of what looks like the pedals and a wheel of a bike. You grasp the pedals with your hands and turns them just as you would with your feet on a regular bike.
Stretching
Simple stretching activities such as bringing your arms up above your head, out to the side and rolling your shoulders front and back can help to alleviate stiffness in the muscles. Slowly titling your head to your right shoulder, titling your head forward, to the left and then back can help to ease a stiff neck. Extending your legs out and pointing and flexing your toes is another simple exercise that can help to alleviate muscle stiffness in the legs. More dynamic stretching, such as in yoga, may also help tto preserve flexibility and relieve soreness. However, always ask your doctor before engaging in any type of exercise.
Physical Therapy
When a person is diagnosed with LGMD, physical therapy is often prescribed. According to the Muscluar Dystrophy Association, the goals of physical therapy are to enable greater motion by the muscles and prevent contractures. Contractures occur when the stretchy connective tissue in the muscle or joint is replaced by non-stretchy tissue, making movement difficult and sometimes painful. A physical therapist will prescribe exercise based on the person's current state of health. Some other exercises can include the use of resistance bands, walking on a treadmill and abdominal exercises. Before beginning any exercises, it is important to have a physical exam and a cardiac evaluation. In some cases of LGMD, breathing and cardiac problems can occur.
