Muscle Physiology Case Histories - Case 10

Parents of a 3-year-old noticed that their daughter was walking "on her toes," had a waddling gait, fell frequently and had difficulty getting up again, and was not able to run because of the difficulty in raising her knees. At age five, there was progressive muscular weakness and muscle wasting. Weakness of the trunk muscles led to increased lordosis and a protuberant abdomen. At age nine, she was confined to a wheelchair. Contractures appeared, first in the feet, as the gastrocnemius muscles tightened.

1. This hereditary X-linked recessive disease characterized by progressive muscular weakness is .

2. What does dystrophy mean? Why is this term used to describe this case?

3. What muscles would be involved in walking "on the toes"? Which muscles are "weakening"?

4. Name the trunk muscles that weaken in certain cases of lordosis and abdominal protuberance.

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