Muscular System Disorders:
ATROPHY – wasting away of muscle due to lack of
use.
HYPERTROPHY – an increase in the size of the
muscle cell.
STRAIN – tear in the muscle resulting from excessive
use. Bleeding inside the muscle can result in pain and
swelling. Ice packs will help stop bleeding and reduce
swelling.
MUSCLE SPASM (cramp) – sustained contraction of
the muscle, usually because of overuse.
MYALGIA – muscle pain
HERNIA – organs can protrude through this week
muscle.
FLAT FEET (TALIPES) – weakening of leg muscles
that support the arch, downward pressure on the foot
eventually flattens out the arches. Condition can be
helped by exercise, massage and corrective shoes.
TETANUS (lockjaw) – Infectious disease, continuous
spasms of voluntary muscles, caused by a toxin from
the bacillus clostridium tetani, enters the body
through puncture wound. Prevented by an anti-toxoid
vaccine.
TORTICOLLIS (wry neck) – may be due to an
inflammation of the trapezius and/or
sternocleidomastoid muscle.
MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY – group of diseases in
which muscle cells deteriorate. Most common is
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, caused by a genetic
defect.
MYASTHENIA GRAVIS – progressive muscular
weakness and paralysis, sometimes death. Cause
unknown. Fatal when respiratory muscles are
paralyzed.
TENDONITIS – inflammation of a tendon
CONTRACTURE – tightening or shortening of a
muscle.
Fibromyalgia-
Muscle disorders and injuries
Due to the sheer size and complexity of the muscular system, there are many common injuries and disorders associated with it. This section should give you a starting point in recognising problems when they arise and inform you what steps to take next.
In this article
Soft tissue inflammation
Muscle reacts to damage – such as that from a physical blow – with inflammation.
The affected area becomes hot, red, and swollen as blood and fluids accumulate from ruptured cells and capillaries. Blood vessels widen (dilate) as white blood cells congregate, attracted by the leaking debris from muscle fibres (cells) and other tissues. Moving the muscle causes discomfort or pain. Longer-term causes of muscle tissue inflammation are the group of disorders called repetitive strain injuries (RSIs). The basic cause is a particular movement or action repeated often over a long period. Movements that are rapid and forceful increase the risk. RSIs are linked to many and varied daily activities, from working on production lines or with computers, to sport or playing a musical instrument.
Tendinitis and tenosynovitis
Inflammation can affect the tendon itself, as tendinitis, or the linings of the tendon sheaths that enclose them, as tenosynovitis.
Tendinitis may occur when strong or repeated movement creates excessive friction between the tendon's outer surface and an adjacent bone. Tenosynovitis may be the result of overstretching or repeated movement causing inflammation of the lubricating sheaths that enclose some tendons. Both of these problems can occur together and may be part of the group of disorders known as repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), as described in soft-tissue inflammation. Areas affected include the shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers, knee, and the back of the heel. Symptoms of both tendinitis and tenosynovitis are stiffness, swelling, and pain, with hot, reddened skin at the site.
Ruptured tendon
A sudden, powerful muscle contraction or wrenching injury can completely tear a tendon.
Playing sport and unaccustomed lifting of heavy weights may result in torn, or ruptured, tendons. Examples are tearing of the tendons attached to the biceps brachii muscle in the upper arm, or of the quadriceps tendon at the front of the thigh that stretches over the knee. A sudden impact that bends a fingertip towards the palm may snap the extensor tendon on the back of the finger. In severe cases, the tendon may even be torn away from the bone. Main symptoms include a snapping or twanging sensation, pain, swelling, and impaired movement. Some injuries, such as a ruptured Achilles tendon (at the back of the heel), may require immobilizaton of the affected area with a cast to prevent the tendon from stretching in the early stages of healing.
Myasthenia gravis
This autoimmune disorder causes chronic muscle weakness; eye and facial muscles are affected most.
Myasthenia gravis is caused by antibodies that attack and gradually destroy the receptors in muscle fibres that receive nerve signals. As a result, muscles are not stimulated to contract, or respond only very weakly.
Affected muscles include those of the face, throat, and eyes, which can lead to problems with speech and vision. Arm, leg, and respiratory muscles are more rarely affected. A thymus disorder may trigger the disease, and so the thymus gland may be removed, along with immunosuppressant and other drugs given as treatment.
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Cross-section of carpal tunnel
The carpal tunnel is between the carpal ligament (flexor retinaculum), which restrains and aligns the tendons that move the hand and fingers, and the carpal bones of the wrist. Tendons in their sheaths slide through this passageway, adjacent to the median nerve.
Median nerve
Tendon sheath
Tendons
Carpal ligament (flexor retinaculum)
Skin
Carpal bone
Median nerve
Carpal tunnel
Carpal ligament (flexor retinaculum)
Tendons
Tendon sheath
Muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophies are a group of inherited disorders that cause degeneration of muscle, leading to weak and impaired movements.
Common symptoms of various types of muscular dystrophy (MD) are progressive wasting of muscles and loss of movement.
There is no effective treatment to halt the underlying process. However, stretching exercises and surgery to release shortened muscles and tendons can benefit some sufferers by improving mobility. Among the well-known forms are Duchenne and Becker MD, in which the genetic abnormality is carried on the X chromosome; they almost always affect boys.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Compression of a nerve in the wrist leads to symptoms such as tingling and pain in the hand, wrist, and forearm, and weakened grip.
The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway formed by the carpal ligament (flexor retinaculum), on the inside of the wrist, and the underlying wrist bones, the carpals. Long tendons run through the passage from the muscles in the forearm to the bones of the hand and fingers. The median nerve also passes through the carpal tunnel, to control hand muscles and convey sensations from the fingers. In carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) the median nerve is compressed by swelling of the tissues around it in the tunnel. Causes include diabetes mellitus, pregnancy, a wrist injury, rheumatoid arthritis, and repetitive movements; in some cases the cause is not clear. CTS tends to affect women aged 40-60 and can occur in both wrists. The nerve compression causes numbness and pain, especially in the thumb to middle fingers and one side of the ring finger. Anti-inflammatory drugs and perhaps surgery to loosen the ligament can bring relief.
For more information see our Carpal tunnel syndrome Factsheet.
Tennis and golfer elbow are common names for tendon damage in the area where the arm muscles attach to bones near the elbow joint.
Tennis Elbow
Most cases of tennis elbow involve the common extensor tendon, which anchors several forearm muscles involved in wrist and hand movements to the lateral epicondyle, a knob-like projection on the upper arm bone (humerus). Golfer elbow is a similar type of injury but the pain is at the site of the medial epicondyle on the elbow inner side.
For more information see our Tennis Elbow Factsheet.
Muscle strains and tears
A mild injury resulting from an overstretched muscle is called a strain; more severe damage is a tear.
Muscle strain is the term used for a moderate amount of soft-tissue damage to muscle fibres, usually caused by sudden, strenuous movements. Limited bleeding inside the muscle causes tenderness and swelling, which may be accompanied by painful spasms or contractions. Visible bruising may follow. More serious damage, involving a larger number of torn or ruptured fibres, is called a muscle tear. A torn muscle causes severe pain and swelling. Following a medical check, the usual treatment is rest, anti-inflammatory medication, and perhaps physiotherapy. Rarely, surgery may be needed to repair a muscle that has been badly torn. The risk of muscle strains and tears can be reduced by warming-up adequately before exercise.
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