Muscular Dystrophy is an umbrella term that groups over thirty similar types of genetic disorders together. They are characterized by the progressive degradation of the muscular and skeletal systems, specifically in the areas that control movement. The most common of these genetic disorders is known as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The symptoms of DMD start to emerge as between the ages of one and six (Learning About Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, 2013), where the effective patient’s muscles will deteriorate at an alarmingly fast pace. It almost always affects males exclusively, but there are some females have been reported to possess this genetic disorder that are actually affected by it. It is a hereditary genetic disorder, meaning that those who have family members with said disorder are at potential greater risk of either inheriting it or having an offspring who has it. However, it is also not uncommon for this disorder to appear in patients without familial ties to DMD. About 1 in every 3600 male infants (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, 2014) inherits this genetic disorder.
Background Image 2. Man with DMD walks using two canes as support. DMD Treatment Advances [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2016, from http://gdb.voanews.com/164BE396-FE1D-4A1A-9AA6-9D2FB2C5A3DE_mw1024_s_n.jpg