Abstract

CASTELLAR-LEONES, Sandra Milena et al. Prescription of Physical Activity in the Management of Patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Rev. Cienc. Salud [online]. 2025, vol.23, n.spe, e23e6.  Epub Apr 22, 2025. ISSN 1692-7273.  https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/revsalud/a.13737.

Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) present progressive muscle weakness associated with muscle fiber damage caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene, which leads to loss of motor function, functional limitation, loss of independence to perform daily activities, and death towards the second decade of life without treatment. It is believed that exercise may benefit these patients, as it increases muscle strength, reduces contractures, and improves aerobic capacity, prolonging the time of loss of ambulation. However, the evidence on the effects of exercise in these patients is scarce and there are no evidence-based, standardized, and validated recommendations on the type of exercise to be performed, its level of intensity, duration, and frequency, being then uncertain the evidence for the prescription of exercise as part of the management of these patients. The present review aims to show the positive effects of exercise in the rehabilitation process of the patient with DMD, to give some important guidelines for the prescription of exercise, and to clarify some key considerations that should be considered when prescribing physical exercise in these patients.

Keywords : Duchenne muscular dystrophy; exercise; physical activity; recommendations; exercise therapy.

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