Muscle disease (md) causes muscles to waste and weaken. More than 60,000 babies, children and adults in the UK are affected by md. 

The terms muscular dystrophy and muscle disease (md) describe a group of conditions that affect the muscles, such as those in the arms and legs or heart and lungs, or the nerves that control the muscles.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign estimates that about 17,500 babies and children in the UK have md, and about 52,500 adults.

That means that for every one million people in the UK, one thousand have a type of muscle disease.

Although Duchenne muscular dystrophy (one of the most common types of md) only affects boys, there are many other types of muscle disease that affect men and women, boys and girls.

People are born with md.

Most types of muscle disease are genetic, which means they pass from parent to child. Sometimes babies are born with md even though neither of the parents have it. 

Most muscle diseases are caused by a problem with genes (the building blocks that make you who you are). The problems stop the body from producing proteins that the muscles and nerves need to work properly.

This means that muscles get gradually weaker and weaker.

No, not all people with md use wheelchairs – there are lots of different types of muscle disease and they affect children and adults in different ways. Some people who have less severe forms of md use walking sticks or frames.

However, lots of children and adults do use wheelchairs, either manual ones (that people move themselves) or powered ones (that have motors). Powered wheelchairs are very important to some people with md because arm muscles can get so weak people can't push themselves in manual wheelchairs.

Powered wheelchairs can be very expensive and as the goverment doesn't always fund them, people have to come to charities like the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign for financial help. This year our partnership with Tesco means that we have enough money to pay for equipment, like wheelchairs, for anyone with md aged under 19.

There isn't a cure for md yet, although scientists in the UK and all around the world are working hard to find treatments and cures to help everyone affected by md.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign invests about £1.5 million into research every year. We are also working hard to encourage the government to pay for more research so that even more scientists can work towards finding cures.

If you want to take part in an event to help raise money for kids and teenagers with muscle disease, why not take part in our cool pavement art competition? It’s lots of fun and the winner gets a trip to Canada to watch grey whales migrate! Visit www.muscular-dystrophy.org/pavementart

For more ideas on fundraising and getting involved click here.

Tell us what you’d like to learn about muscle disease and we will post up more information. If you have muscle disease perhaps you want to find out more about daily physiotherapy, or sports that you can take part in.

Let us know at myonlineworld@muscular-dystrophy.org We'd love to hear from you.

The MOW team