Dynamic arm study: quantitative description of upper extremity function and activity of boys and men with duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Mariska M H P Janssen, Jaap Harlaar, Bart Koopman and 1 others
PMID 28549441WHAT IT FOUND
Boys and men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy had weaker arm muscles and smaller active joint angles than healthy peers.
Deltoid and biceps torque loss was associated with difficulty lifting and bending the elbow.
Key findings
01DMD patients differed from healthy peers on all upper extremity outcome measures except muscle thickness.
02Active arm movement range showed the strongest relation to Brooke and PUL scores.
03Muscle electrical activity during movements differed from healthy peers for all movements and muscles except trapezius during shoulder abduction.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
All DMD participants were Brooke 1 to 5, so they could already use their hands functionally. The groups by Brooke scale were small, especially at later stages. The study was cross-sectional, so it could not show longitudinal changes. Corticosteroid use and scoliosis were not stratified because of sample size. Torque measurements could not isolate single muscles. Normalized sEMG could be affected by pain, fear, motion restriction, or motivation. Ultrasound echogenicity and thickness were affected by attenuation, especially in later stages.
Declared interests
The only conflicts information supplied is the funder: Dutch Technology Foundation STW.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these arm strength and movement measurements as proof that an intervention works. The study was cross-sectional, and it did not test treatment effects.