Muscular Dystrophy

A group of over 30 types of inherited disorders  where the muscle tissue progressively weakens, sometimes leading to the destruction of muscle fibers and their replacement with other types of tissue, such as fat tissue.  Some types are mild, with slow progression over the course of years.  Other types are more severe, with rapid progression of muscle weakness resulting in death in infancy or childhood.  The most common types are Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), and myotonic dystrophy (DM) .  There is no known cure for MS.  Treatments such as physical therapy and orthopedic surgery aim to slow progression of the disease and enhance quality of life.