Fractures in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: chiefly about their causes

Among 148 Duchenne muscular dystrophy children, nineteen cases (twenty-six fractures) were associated with bone fractures involving twelve femurs, nine humeri, four tibiae and one metatarsal bone. Seven out of twenty-six cases had experienced fractures twice. The causes of fractures were falls in fifteen cases, collision against surrounding objects in five, body position change in four and unknown in two. Femoral fractures were dominant during the wheelchair-bound phase, while, humeral fractures were dominant during the ambulatory phase. As these children lack sitting and standing balance as well as normal muscular power, we have to be careful of falls to prevent bone fractures when they are in a sitting or standing posture. Most of these fractures seem to be prevented if careful attention was paid during rehabilitation exercise, transfer and body position change etc.