Types of Muscular Dystrophy

Types of Muscular Dystrophy

There are many forms of muscular dystrophy (MD). The primary forms of muscular dystrophy are outlined below.

Nine Forms of Muscular Dystrophy

• Becker: Progresses slowly, with onset in adolescence to early adulthood. Life expectancy is middle age.
• Congenital: Onset occurs at birth and causes all-over muscle weakness and some joint deformities. The disease is slow-progressing and shortens lifespan.
• Duchenne: Onset occurs in early childhood, with faster progression than Becker. It affects the upper legs, upper arms and pelvis, and most commonly affects males. Life expectancy is usually in the 20s.
• Distal: Onset typically occurs in the 40s to 60s. This form affects the lower legs, forearms and hands. It is slow-progressing and rarely leads to total loss of function.
• Emery-Dreifuss: Onset occurs in childhood to early teens. It often affects the shin, upper arm and shoulder muscles, and leads to joint deformities. The disease is slow-progressing and can increase risk of death from cardiac issues.
• Facioscapulohumeral: Onset typically occurs in childhood to early adulthood. It affects muscles in the face, shoulders and upper arms. The disease is mostly slow-progressing with periods of rapid progression, and survival can be decades after onset.
• Limb-Girdle: Onset typically occurs in late childhood to middle age. Affecting the pelvic and shoulder girdles, the disease is slow-progressing. Cause of death is often related to cardiopulmonary issues.
• Myotonic: Onset typically occurs in the 20s to 40s, and there are two types, Type 1 and Type 2. The disease affects the face, neck, hands and feet first, and then all muscles. Progression can last 50 to 60 years.
• Oculopharyngeal: Onset occurs in the 40s to 70s. This form typically affects the eyelid and throat muscles, and is slow-progressing.