Muscular distrophy, or MD, is a genetic disease that causes muscle weakness.
There are several types of MD including Duchenne's MD, Becker's MD and Facioscapulohumeral MD.
Muscular distrophy symptoms and the severity vary depending on the type.
Becker's muscular distrophy symptoms include fatigue, loss of balance and coordination, muscle weakness, difficulty walking and problems breathing.
It usually occurs in men around the age of 12 and affects the lower body such as the legs and pelvis.
The symptoms will worsen with age and many sufferers of Becker MD will live to be around 50 or 60.
This is one of the least common and least severe types of this muscle disease.
Facioscapulohumeral MD affects both men and women; it also affects the upper body rather than the lower body, like Becker's MD.
Facioscapulohumeral muscular distrophy symptoms include eyelid drooping, decreased facial expression, difficulty pronouncing words and hearing loss.
The symptoms usually occur around the age of 10-26 but, in some instances symptoms of this type of MD never develop.
Lifespan is not affected and in most cases there is no disability involved.
Duchenne's muscular dystrophy symptoms are the most severe and the most common.
The disease affects children and adults, mostly males, and can result in constraint to a wheelchair and a shortened life.
The disease usually strikes in the legs and the pelvis first but will move to the arms, neck and other areas of the body as the disease progresses.
The muscles will weaken and worsen until it is impossible to walk on your own.
Most children with Duchenne's MD do not live to see 25.
Perhaps the most devastating thing about Duchenne's MD and the various other types of MD is that there is no actual cure.
However, activity can increase your life and maintain muscle strength.
The most important factor in treating MD is to prolong the life and control the muscular distrophy symptoms.
Muscular dystrophy treatments include physical therapy, group therapy sessions, orthopaedic appliances such as leg braces, and oral corticosteroids for children with MD.