Causes and symptoms of atrophy of the muscles of the legs, thigh and lower leg

Due to pathological changes in the human body, the skeletal muscle begins to thin, deform, then it is replaced by a connective tissue that is incapable of contraction, that is, muscle atrophy occurs. As a result, the motor ability of the affected muscle decreases, and with its significant degeneration, complete paralysis occurs, the patient loses the ability to move independently.

Causes of atrophy of the muscles of the legs, thigh and lower leg

There can be several reasons for the development of atrophy of the muscles of the lower extremities:

– decrease in metabolism and aging of the body with age;

– as a result of diseases of the endocrine system and hormonal failure in the body;

– chronic diseases of the digestive tract, connective tissue;

– violation of the regulation of muscle tone in case of damage to peripheral nerves, polyneuritis, as a manifestation of complications of some infectious and parasitic diseases, chronic poisoning;

– poor heredity – congenital fermentopathy or genetic disorders;

– malnutrition, malnutrition;

– as post-traumatic complications or with constant physical activity.

Symptoms of atrophy of the muscles of the legs, thigh and lower leg

At the very beginning of the disease, a characteristic symptom is fatigue in the legs, muscle weakness during prolonged physical exertion. The calf muscles are noticeably enlarged. Atrophy usually begins with the proximal (closest to the body) muscle groups of the lower extremities. This manifests itself in the restriction of the motor function of the legs – it is difficult for the patient to climb the stairs and get up from a horizontal position. Over time, gait changes.

Muscle atrophy develops slowly and lasts for years. The disease can spread to one or both sides; The process can be either symmetrical or asymmetric. All manifestations depend on the causes and form of the disease, the age and condition of the patient’s body. Clinical manifestations are increasing weakness in the lower extremities, trembling appears. Patients experience discomfort, a feeling of crawling under the skin.

The most characteristic sign of developing muscle atrophy is a decrease in the volume of the affected muscle, which is noticed even by the patients themselves at an early stage of the disease. It becomes increasingly difficult to move around without assistance, especially going up and down stairs. The disease is chronic, there are periods of relapses (with severe pain in the affected muscle) and remissions with a slight fading of symptoms.

The primary form of muscle atrophy is characterized by damage to the muscle itself, its motor neurons, due to unfavorable heredity or a number of other reasons – injuries, bruises, physical overexertion. The patient gets tired very quickly, the muscles lose their tone, involuntary twitching of the limbs is characteristic.

Secondary damage to the muscle tissue of the lower extremities is called neural amyotrophy, most often it is a consequence of injuries or past infectious diseases, as a result of genetic pathology. In this case, the muscles of the legs and feet suffer, their deformation occurs. The foot seems to be hanging, and in order not to cling to the floor with it, a person begins to raise his knees high when walking. As the process progresses and spreads, muscle atrophy from the legs passes to the hands and forearms.

Myotonia, sex-linked, occurring with atrophy of the muscles of the legs

The pseudohypertrophic form of Duchenne is one of the most common forms of sex-linked myopathy. The disease occurs only in boys. Early symptoms of pathology appear in the first five years of a child’s life. The characteristic symptoms include atrophy of the muscles of the legs and muscles of the pelvic girdle. Pseudohypertrophy develops early, especially in the calf muscles, deltoid muscles are less often affected. There are also terminal muscle atrophies, tendon retractions, mainly Achilles tendons, reflexes disappear, most of all this is noticeable when checking knee reflexes. The child hardly climbs the stairs, leaning on his hips when walking, cannot jump, it is difficult for him to get up from the floor. Gradually, weakness develops, the muscles of the shoulder girdle atrophy, and after a while the child cannot get out of bed. Among the late manifestations of the disease, one can note the appearance of contracture, the cause of which is the retraction of the tendons, the formation of a “horse” foot.

As a rule, children with this congenital genetic disease do not live past the age of 14.

Pathology is also accompanied by changes in the heart muscle, the brain is affected, the child lags behind in development. Weakness of the respiratory muscles causes poor ventilation of the lungs, which contributes to the development of pneumonia. The course of pneumonia is complicated by weakness of the heart muscle, which is the most common cause of death in patients. The Duchenne form is characterized by the pleiotropic effect of the pathological gene.

In the middle of the twentieth century, Becker described a benign variant of sex-linked myopathy, this form of the disease bears his name. The first symptoms of pathology appear after 20 years. At the initial stage, pseudohypertrophy of the calf muscles is noticeable. Atrophy of the muscles of the legs develops slowly, gradually covering the muscles of the pelvic girdle and thighs. Intelligence in this form is preserved. These varieties of the disease are characterized by damage to various genes located in two loci of the sex X chromosome, being genocopies. In one family, two forms of the disease do not occur at once.

Diagnosis of atrophy of the muscles of the legs, thigh and lower leg

In order to diagnose muscle atrophy, it is necessary to collect a thorough history, including learning about hereditary and chronic diseases. A detailed blood test is prescribed with the obligatory determination of ESR, glucose, liver tests. Mandatory electromyography and sometimes a biopsy of nerve cells, as well as the study of nerve conduction. If there is a history of chronic diseases or past infectious diseases, an additional examination is carried out according to indications.

Treatment of atrophy of the muscles of the legs, thigh and lower leg

When choosing a treatment, the main attention is paid to the reasons due to which the disease developed. The age of the patient, the prevalence and severity of the pathological process are taken into account. Drug treatment, carried out by courses, can stop the process and even lead to some improvements. An important role is played by the appointment of physiotherapy, therapeutic massage, electrotherapy, therapeutic exercises. Also, in the treatment of muscle atrophy, blood transfusion is often practiced. Compliance with all recommendations allows patients to lead an almost normal life for a long time.

[Video] How to treat muscle atrophy: