Disabilities which affect movement

Patients with dystonia may experience uncontrollable twisting, repetitive movements or abnormal postures and positions. These can affect any part of the body, including the arms, legs, trunk, eyelids and vocal cords. General dystonias involves the entire body. Focal dystonias involve only one body location, most commonly the neck spasmodic torticollis , eyelids blepharospasm , lower face Meige syndrome or hand writer's cramp or limb dystonia.

Depending on what part of the body is affected, the condition can be very disabling. There is a three-tiered approach to treating dystonia: botulinum toxin botox injections, medication and surgery.

These may be used alone or in combination. Botox injections help block the communication between the nerve and the muscle and may lessen abnormal movements and postures. Surgery is considered when other treatments have proven ineffective. The goal of surgery is to interrupt the pathways responsible for the abnormal movements at various levels of the nervous system. Some operations purposely damage small regions of the thalamus thalamotomy , globus pallidus pallidotomy or other deep centers in the brain.

Recently, deep brain stimulation DBS has been tried with some success. Other surgeries include cutting nerves leading to the nerve roots deep in the neck close to the spinal cord anterior cervical rhizotomy or removing the nerves at the point they enter the contracting muscles selective peripheral denervation. Essential tremor is an uncontrolled shaking or trembling, usually of one or both hands or arms, that worsens when basic movements are attempted.

Essential tremor affects about five million people in the U. National Library of Medicine, essential tremors are found most commonly in adults over the age of It is caused by abnormalities in areas of the brain that control movement and is not tied to an underlying disease e.

About 50 percent of patients have a family history of the condition. This condition usually does not result in serious complications, but it certainly can interfere with daily activities and cause distress.

In some cases, physical therapy or changes in lifestyle may improve symptoms. If the condition affects a patient's ability to perform daily tasks and has a negative impact on quality of life, medication or surgery are considered. About 50 to 75 percent of patients taking medications have a reduction of their tremor. Beta-blockers , anti-seizure medications , benzodiazepines and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors often are prescribed.

Beta-blockers usually are prescribed for younger patients because they may cause memory loss and confusion in older patients. Botox injections help block the communication between the nerve and the muscle and may lessen tremor. If the tremor is so severe that is causes a disability, surgery may be recommended. Thalamotomy purposely destroys a portion of the area deep within the brain that receives sensory messages, and area known as the thalamus. About 75 percent of patients undergoing this procedure find relief on one side of their body.

Surgery on both sides of the thalamus is rarely done due to the high risk of speech loss. Deep Brain Stimulation is another surgical option in severe cases of essential tremor that have not responded to medication. A hair-thin wire is implanted in the thalamus and connected to a neurostimulator implanted under the collarbone. The neurostimulator sends electrical impulses along the wire to the thalamus, interrupting signals that cause tremor.

Huntington's disease is a progressive, degenerative and fatal disease caused by the deterioration of certain nerve cells in the brain. Onset most often occurs between ages 35 and 50, with the condition progressing without remission over 10 to 25 years. Huntington's disease affects an estimated one in every 10, people in the U. A juvenile form of the disease affects patients age 20 and younger, accounting for about 16 percent of all cases. Symptoms include jerking; uncontrollable movements of the limbs, trunk, and face; progressive loss of mental abilities; and the development of psychiatric problems.

The condition is hereditary — a child with one affected parent has a 50 percent chance of developing Huntington's disease. There is no cure for Huntington's disease, so treatment focuses on reducing symptoms, preventing complications and helping patients and family members cope with daily challenges.

Doctors may prescribe antipsychotics, antidepressants , tranquilizers , mood-stabilizers or botox injections. These are prescribed in the lowest effective dosage, as all of these medications may have side effects. Huntington's disease usually runs its full terminal course in 10 to 30 years. Researchers have observed that the earlier in life the symptoms occur, the faster the disease often progresses.

MSA is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease affecting movement, blood pressure and other body functions. Because symptoms, onset and severity of MSA vary from person to person, differing ranges of symptoms were designated initially as three different diseases: Shy-Drager syndrome , striatonigral degeneration and olivopontocerebellar atrophy.

A person with a hereditary or congenital physical disability has had the condition since birth, developed the condition because of inherited genetic problems, issues with muscle cells or the person suffered an injury during birth. A person can acquire a physical disability due to a number of reasons.

These can be severe accidents, brain injuries, infections, diseases and as a side effect of disorders and other medical conditions, such as a stroke and dementia. There is a vast number of physical disabilities, each affecting people differently. Types include mobility impairment, visual impairment, hearing loss, chronic fatigue or pain and seizures.

Musculoskeletal disability affects the joints, bones and muscles and includes loss or deformity of limbs, Osteogenesis imperfecta brittle bone disease and Muscular Dystrophy muscle weakness. These disabilities result in an inability to perform movements of body parts due to deformities, diseases or degeneration affecting the muscles or bones.

There are more than musculoskeletal conditions and each year, 20 per cent of people in the UK see a doctor because of a problem relating to it. Common examples of musculoskeletal disabilities include back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, fractures associated with bone fragility and inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Neuromusculoskeletal disability, defined as the inability to move affected body parts due to diseases, degeneration or disorder of the nervous system, resulting in physical disability.

Conditions that fall under Neuromusculoskeletal disabilities are cerebral palsy, spina bifida, stroke, spinal cord injury, head injury and poliomyelitis. Common causes of physical disabilities include arthritis, epilepsy, acquired brain injury and cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy occurs in young children and is a group of non-progressive disorders that damage the brain, causing impairment of motor function. Including associated disabilities such as intellectual and behavioural, a person with cerebral palsy usually has problems with movement and co-ordination.

The development defect of the spinal canal may cause paralysis of the lower part of the body. Additionally, the person may lose bowel and bladder control as a result. Acquired brain injuries are due to damage to the brain after birth and can be caused by a wide range of factors, including stroke, head injury, alcohol, drugs, lack of oxygen or various diseases such as cancer. In some cases, fluid can accumulate in and damage the brain. Some individuals experience learning and language difficulties as a result.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS , also known as " Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a degenerative disease that prevents neurons from sending impulses to the muscles. The muscles weaken over time, impacting dexterity in operating a mouse or keyboard, and the condition may eventually affect the muscles required for breathing, resulting in death.

Symptoms include slowness in either movement or speech. Arthritis pain can interfere with the fine motor control necessary to use a keyboard or use a mouse, touchpad, or mobile device to click small links or buttons. Depending on the user's range of comfort, a user may use a trackball mouse, voice recognition software, foot pedals, or other technologies.

Joint pain can cause fatigue, limiting the amount of time that the person is willing to spend on a computer maneuvering a mouse and typing on a keyboard. The condition can significantly impede mouse and keyboard use. Occasionally the voice is affected as well, to the point that voice recognition software is not an option. Like Parkinson's Disease, essential tremor ET is a nerve disorder that can result in uncontrollable tremors.

Essential tremor most frequently affects the upper body, such as the hands, arms, head, and larynx which impacts the voice. Traumatic Injuries Important. Spinal cord injury Spinal cord injuries can paralyze the limbs. Back disorders can limit a student's ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, or carry objects. They include, but are not limited to, degenerative disk disease, scoliosis, and herniated disks. Cerebral palsy is the result of damage to the brain prior to or shortly after birth. It can prevent or inhibit walking, and cause a lack of muscle coordination, spasms, and speech difficulty.

Neuromuscular disorders include a variety of conditions, such as muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and ataxia, which result in degeneration and atrophy of muscle or nerve tissues.

Fibromyalgia is a form of "soft tissue" or muscular rheumatism causing constant pain in muscles and ligaments. Inactivity, depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue and sleep loss are common. Back to top Some Considerations Many students with mobility impairments lead lives similar to those without impairments. Dependency and helplessness are not characteristics of physical disability. A physical disability is often separate from matters of cognition and general health; it does not imply that a student has other health problems or difficulty with intellectual functioning.

People adjust to disabilities in a myriad of ways. Character traits e. When talking with a wheelchair user, attempt to converse at eye level as opposed to standing and looking down.

If a student has a communication impairment as well as a mobility impairment, take time to understand the person.