Atrophy Of The Gluteal Muscles

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Determination of gluteal muscle atrophy

Atrophy of the gluteal muscles is, as a rule, a complication of various diseases, more often of a neuralgic nature or post-traumatic consequences with complete or partial loss of motor ability. In some cases, the disease is due to a hereditary factor. The muscle tissue of the buttocks is significantly reduced in volume, becomes thinner, degenerates and is replaced by connective and adipose tissue, sometimes disappears completely.

Causes and symptoms of gluteal muscle atrophy

Muscle atrophy is divided into simple (or primary) and neurogenic (or secondary). In the primary variant of muscle atrophy (myopathy), the muscle tissue itself is affected as a result of a violation of innervation (supply of muscle fibers with nerves). A significant role is played by factors that give an impetus to the beginning of the formation of a pathological process - excessive physical exertion and the general condition of the human body, various infectious and neuralgic diseases, trauma.

Secondary or neurogenic atrophy usually accompanies some serious diseases in which motor neurons of the spinal cord, nerve roots, or peripheral nerves are affected. Atrophy is often caused by trauma to the nerve trunks or infectious diseases that cause the death of nerve cells in the spinal cord; neurological diseases - osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, arthritis and arthrosis.

Prolonged forced inactivity of the patient as a result of strokes, paralysis, paresis also leads to the development of atrophy of the gluteal muscles. In some cases, it is progressive muscle atrophy or sex-linked myopathy, the disease is hereditary.

The clinical picture depends on the underlying cause of the onset and development of gluteal muscle atrophy. If the disease is primary, then it is characterized by a slow and gradual manifestation - with progressive muscular dystrophy, the patient has a specific "duck gait".

In the secondary form of gluteal muscle atrophy, the symptomatology depends on the degree of damage and the nature of the underlying disease. With superior gluteal nerve syndrome, pain in the upper gluteal region and hip is noted. For hereditary myopathy, which occurs only in boys in early childhood, the development of atrophy of the muscles of the buttocks is also characteristic, which, in combination with other manifestations of the disease, leads to the complete immobility of the child.

Myopathic phenomena are markedly intensified under the influence of various unfavorable factors - infections, intoxication, overexertion. They differ in the symmetry of the process, with atrophy of one muscle group, others increase compensatory. More often, the volume of muscle tissue increases not due to muscle fibers, but as a result of their replacement with adipose and connective tissue. The muscles become large, but weak, flabby, there is no strength in them.

n

Gluteal tendinitis or myotendenitis due to the dynamic progression of movement disorders is also the cause of atrophy. In this disease, tendons are affected, and the process goes to muscle tissue. Muscle weakness is noted, atrophy sets in, motor disorders increase - it becomes difficult for the patient to rise from a horizontal position. The progression of the disease often leads to rupture at the junction of the muscle with the tendon, with pain after clicking and limiting the mobility of the limb.

Weakness and atrophy of the muscle tissue of the gluteal region is associated with a violation of their innervation by the upper and lower gluteal nerves, which leads to certain difficulties in straightening the bent trunk, extension and rotation of the lower limb in the thigh. Paralysis of the gluteus maximus muscle becomes noticeable when running, jumping, climbing stairs or inclines. When walking on level ground, paralysis is not noticeable.

Diagnosis and treatment of gluteal muscle atrophy

Diagnostics is carried out on the basis of the examination and a thorough collection of anamnesis, if necessary, other examination methods are used. The choice of tactics and treatment options depends on the degree of progression of the disease, as well as on the depth of muscle tissue damage.

In any case, first of all, therapy should be aimed at treating the underlying disease, which caused the development of atrophy. Symptomatic therapy will help relieve and improve the patient's condition. Not drug treatment is actively used, namely, physiotherapy. In severe cases, only conservative treatment is carried out, the purpose of which is to prevent the deterioration of the patient's condition, and moral and psychological support and appropriate care are also very important.

Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist

Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".