Muscle Loss or Atrophy
The loss of muscle tone and muscle wastage is known as atrophy. People who get insufficient exercise will lose muscle tone, and over this time the muscle will waste, resulting in the loss of muscle tissue. Damage to the motor nerves can lead to immobility, and diseases like muscular dystrophy, myotonia cengenita, and myotonic dystropy which affect the muscles directly will produce the same outcome.
Neurological conditions that affect the motor nerves may include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) poliomyelitis (polio), Guillain-Barre syndrome, and multiple sclerosis.
Scientists have found two genes whose function appears to be to accelerate the breakdown of unused muscle tissue. This, according to Louis M. Kunkel, a geneticist at the Children's Hospital of Boston, may yield insights into treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal musculat atrophy, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
I find that exercise can be difficult as the limbs feel tired and weak to begin with. Using the muscles involves using the motor control nerves, the performance of which degrade with use making the limbs feel even more tired and weak. Little and often seems to be the way to go.
Common Causes
- cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
- spinal cord injury
- peripheral nerve injury
- prolonged immobilty
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- diabetes
- poliomyelitis
- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
- muscular dystrophy
- myotonia congenita
- myotonic dystrophy
- myopathy
Treatments
Exercise is the obvious choice for muscle loss through lack of use.
Application of moist heat, and whirlpool baths are recommended.