Table 1: General Exercise Guidelines for Persons with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Type | Frequency | Intensity | Duration | |
Flexibility | Passive/Active | Daily | Low | 3x (10-30 sec) |
Endurance Exercise | Walking, Cycling, Swimming | Variable 1-7 x per week |
Low | Variable 1-20 minutes |
Muscular Strength | Isokinetic, Concentric, or Eccentric only | Variable 1-5 x per week |
Low | Variable 1-3 sets 5-15 repetitions |
Table 2: Specific Exercise Guidelines for Persons with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Muscle Groups |
|
Flexibility | Hip flexors, Shoulder extensors, Elbow flexors, Plantar flexors, Intrinsic hand flexors, Knee flexors |
Endurance Exercise | Muscles used for ambulation |
Muscular Strength | Hip extensors, Elbow extensors, Shoulder flexors, Dorsiflexors, Hand and wrist extensors, Back extensors |
Table 3: Precautions and Contraindications to Exercise for Persons with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Precautions and Contraindications |
|
1. | Muscle damaging eccentric exercise (i.e., downhilll running or walking) |
2. | Ballistic stretching |
3. | Sitting or lying for extended periods of time |