Posture in Muscular Dystrophy - The Compensatory Role of Pseudohypertrophy Equinus and Lordosis

Abstract

This paper reports on a biomechanical analysis of the characteristic posture of muscular dystrophy. It is postulated that the muscular dystrophy child adopts lordosis and equinus to compensate for weakness in the hip and knee extensors and for knee flexion contractures. Studies were carried out on normal subjects who simulated the posture of muscular dystrophy and on dystrophic children utilizing a force place, cinephotography, radiological methods and E.M.G. The results verify that the typical postural alterations in muscular dystrophy effectively stabilizes the knees.