What are Movement Disorders?
Movement Disorders are neurological conditions that characteristically affect the speed, fluency, quality, and ease of voluntary muscle movements. They may affect activities of daily living (ADL), or simple day-to-day tasks such as writing or walking. Often debilitating illnesses, movement disorders may cover a wide range of severity and are likely to be progressive in nature.
How do we move?
Movement, although seemingly simple like picking up a bit of paper, is a complex process that requires activities of several different parts of the brain working in tandem with muscles and nerves.
The thought areas of the brain trigger or stimulate the motor area to send signals to the muscles that finally carry out the action.
Throughout the action there is a constant to and from of information between the brain and the muscles via nerves of the spinal cord. This regulates the power, speed, coordination and balance necessary for a smooth action.
Gait or normal locomotion or walking, running etc. is another complex area of movement that in addition requires maintenance of posture and balance.
Impact of Movement Disorders
Given that movement and gait are complex phenomenon, problems with them are widespread since minor changes in the pathways and components of movement may affect smooth workings of motion.
The impact can be anywhere from a minor inconvenience to severe, with loss of employment, inability to drive and difficulties in performing activities of daily living including those of personal hygiene.
Progression of Movement Disorders
Most movement disorders begin slowly and progress to a more severe form if left untreated. Sometimes they begin as weakness or stiffness of muscles or there may be twitches and tics.
How common are Movement Disorders?
Movement Disorders are chronic conditions, with an increased prevalence the older the population. Posing a major challenge to patients, families, and health care systems, there is a need for reliable data about the future number of affected people. Likely to increase considerably between 2020 and 2050, the most significant increase to be for dementia with Lewy bodies, several countries project a near doubling of patients with Parkinson’s Disease.