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Aim of this study was to investigate the effects of quadriceps kinesiologic taping on gait, performance and endurance in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). 10 children with DMD in Grade 1–2 according to the Brooke Lower Extremity Functional Classification (BLEFC) included in the study. Lower extremity muscle strength-shortening tests, timed performance tests (Gowers, 10 m walking, climbing up and down 4 steps), endurance tests (number of knee flexion–extension and mini-squat with back support during 30 s), gait assessment (step width, step length, number of steps in a minute) and gait performance test (6 Minute Walk Test-6MWT) were performed before taping (BT). Patella and patellar tendon were stabilized according to the kinesiologic taping manual for quadriceps muscle activation. Y-strip was applied to quadriceps without stretching the band in supine position and placed to inferior patella from medial to lateral with 40% tension. I-strip was placed to patellar tendon with 75% tension. Assessments were repeated 30 min after from taping (AT). Mean ages of children was found to be 109.3 ± 15.9 months. 2 (20%) were in Grade 1 and 8 (80%) were in Grade 2 according to the BLEFC. No difference was found in right ( z = −0.07), left ( z = −1.54) quadriceps and total lower extremity muscle strength ( z = −1.82), timed performance and endurance tests after taping ( p > 0.05). Step width (BT:21.7 ± 4.5 cm; AT:19.4 ± 5.5 cm), left step length (BT:34.2 ± 5.2 cm; AT:39.7 ± 6.7 cm) increased and 6MWT distance (BT:369.3 ± 54.4 m; AT:356.1 ± 49.9 m) decreased after taping ( z = −2.24), ( p

To investigate the effects of trainings including two different types of exercises for upper extremity (aerobic and strengthening) on respiratory function and quality of life in children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). 24 children (8–15 years of age) with DMD whose upper extremity functional status were between Grade1–3 according to the Brooke Upper Extremity Functional Classification included in the study. Children were divided into 2 groups randomly as study (N = 12) and control group (N = 12). T-Shirt wearing time (s) which is one of the timed performance tests were recorded. Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) were recorded by using Microlife PF 100 – Asthma Management System, Peak Expiratory Flow (Microlife AG, Switzerland) electronic respiratory muscle strength measuring device. Quality of life of children were assessed with The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL)-Neuromuscular Module Turkish version (child and parent forms). Children in the study group received 45-min exercise sessions with electronic arm ergometer, 3 days a week for 8 weeks. Strengthening exercises for upper extremity were given as home program to control group during 8-weeks. Assessments were repeated after trainings. The time elapsed for T-Shirt wearing decreased after training in study group (mean ages 9.50 ± 1.38 years) compared to control group (mean ages 9.3 ± 1.4 years) (z = −2.281; p 0.05). There were negative, strong correlation between PEF-T-Shirt wearing time (r = −0.629; p

Although the adverse effects of muscle weakness on the performance are well known in neuromuscular diseases, the importance of the distribution of weakness has not been investigated in detail. In this study, we investigated the spatial distribution of the weakness impact on walking parameters. Totally 40 children in early functional levels (with Brooke lower extremity scale stage 1–3) are included in this study where 20 of them have been diagnosed with Neuropathy (mean ages: 12.9 ± 3.3 years) with distal muscle weakness and the other 20 have been diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) (mean ages: 9 ± 3.1) with proximal muscle weakness. The limitations in ankle joint were measured with goniometer. The walking ability was evaluated with the 6 min walking test (6MWT). The limitations in ankle joints’ movement were measured as 17.5 ± 8.7° and 20.9 ± 8.4° on the right and left sides, respectively in patients with neuropathy while these measurements were 20,4 ± 10,2° and 8,6 ± 7,8° on the right and left sides in DMD patients. There were not any significant difference between the groups (p > 0,05). The result of the 6MWT were recorded as 358.8 ± 75 m for the patients with neuropathy and 349.7 ± 77.1 m for the patients with DMD (p > 0.05). There was a negative correlation between the right (r = −0.579, p = 0.007) and left (r = −0.445, p = 0.049) ankle dorsiflexion limitations and 6MWT results in the group with proximal muscle weakness. The limitation of ankle joint may disrupt the standing balance and accelerate the loss of ambulation. Our study showed that limitation of ankle joint movements in patients with proximal muscle weakness could affect functional performance more negatively than patients with distal muscle weakness.

To investigate the effects of 8 weeks upper extremity aerobic and strengthening exercises on upper extremity endurance in children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). 24 children with DMD who have similar physical characteristics between 8 and 15 years of age included in the study. Children randomly divided into two groups. 12 DMD children whose functional status were between Grade 1 and 3 according to the Brooke Upper Extremity Functional Classification were included in each study and control group Minnesota Hand Dexterity Test (MHDT) was used to assess the upper extremity endurance and hand dexterity of children. Children in the study group received 45-min exercise sessions with electronic arm ergometer, 3 days a week for 8 weeks. 8-weeks home program including strengthening exercises for the upper extremity were given to the patients in control group. The number of elbow flexion–extension were recorded before and after each exercise sessions in study group. Asssessments were repeated after 8 weeks training and results were compared within and between groups. There were statistically significant decrease in unilateral placing (z = −2.354) and bilateral turning (z = −2.786) parameters of MHDT in study group (mean ages 9.5 ± 1.4) while only bilateral turning (z = −2.354) in control group (mean ages 9.3 ± 1.4) after training, compared to baseline (p

It is known that the kinetic and kinematic adaptations occur in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) patients depend on generalized muscle weakness during walking performance. Furthermore, their balance is adversely affected. In this study, we aimed to compare the static and dynamic balance in neuromuscular diseases with proximal and distal weakness. 20 cases with proximal muscle weakness (Neuropathy- mean ages: 12.9 ± 3.3 years) and 20 cases with distal muscle weakness (DMD- mean ages: 9 ± 3.1), who were in the early stages of their diseases were included in this study. Pediatric Functional Reach Test (PFRT) and Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) were used to assess balance. 6-min walk test (6MWT) and the 10-m walk test were used to evaluate for patients’ performance. There were significant differences among the groups in anterior reaching, right reaching and total scores of PFRT in sitting position ( p p p > 0.05). For the distal group, we found a negative and weak correlation between TUGT and 6MWT ( r = −0.206), and a positive and a very strong correlation ( p r = 0.971). The results show that the balance is affected in both groups starting from early stages of the disease. Static balance was poor in DMD group while there was poor dynamic balance in the patients with neuropathy. These results showed that localization of the muscle weakness has affected patient balance in the natural course of neuromuscular diseases.

steroids for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) patients. All agree the need of wheelchair can be postponed by using those drugs. What it is still controversial it is if we can get other good outcomes. We decided to analyze the pulmonary functions of DMD patients taking steroids. Method: We selected 35 DMD patients from different regions of Brazil seen in an outpatient clinic and checked who was taking steroids. Standardized parameters regarding pulmonary functions were analyzed. We also checked muscle strength, cardiac function, creatinokinase levels and quality of life. A table was prepared to compare the subgroups of patients using the drugs with those not using them. Results: All patients are between 20 and 25 years of age. Six patients were under that medication and 29 were not. Patients taking steroids used prednisone (0.5 1.0 mg per Kg per day). The age of onset, regarding the use of the drug varied from 3 to 14 years. The duration of use ranged between 2 and 7 years. Fifty per cent of patients taking steroids needed ventilatory assistance, between 2 and 10 hours per day while 75% of the patients not using the medication were in that condition (between 10 and 20 hours per day). Conclusion: Our results strongly suggest the importance to prescribe steroids for DMD patients, even after they lost ambulation. Keeping those patients in a good shape will give them a chance to be enrolled in a near future in clinical trial, for example, with exon-skipping or stem cell therapy.