There are several different types of muscular dystrophy, diseases characterized by progressive muscle weakness and wasting. Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy chiefly affects the muscles used in movement (skeletal muscles) and the heart muscle. The earliest symptoms are joint deformities called contractures that restrict the movement of the elbows, ankles, and neck. Affected individuals also experience muscle weakness and wasting that progresses slowly from the upper arms and lower legs and moving into the shoulders and hips. By adulthood, most people with Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy have heart problems. These come from abnormal heart rhythms and defects with the electrical signals that control … Continue reading →