How to restore atrophied muscles?

Atrophy is a disease when the muscles are replaced by another tissue that is not able to stretch or contract. This results in the inability to move freely. Muscle tissue often atrophies after forced prolonged immobility of the limb, for example, as a result of a fracture. But this is a correctable situation, for which many techniques have been developed aimed at restoring the elasticity of muscle fibers.

Recovery of atrophied muscles

This disease often leads to damage to the functionality of the lower extremities. If you do not carry out rehabilitation measures, then the risk of complications increases. In particular, paralysis will develop in the legs, which will immobilize a person.

In medicine, there are two types of pathology:

• Primary. The disease is the result of damage to the main muscle. Factors that provoke atrophy are both external influences and internal problems in the body. External influences include: trauma, overstrain during physical education, penetration of infection into tissues. Congenital pathology, poor heredity become problems with the body. During a physical impact on a limb, not only soft tissues are damaged, but also nerve fibers. It is the lack of communication between the spinal cord and legs that reduces sensitivity and atrophy occurs. Also, the cause of the development of the disease is a tumor formation that affects the autonomic nervous system passing through the spine;
• Secondary. Here there is a division into two subspecies of an atrophic disease: neural amyotrophy, progressive atrophy, and Aran-Duchene muscle disease. The first subspecies characterizes damage to the lower leg: foot and lower leg. A person moves, trying to raise his knees higher. Gradually, reflexes are lost, the pathology moves further along the leg. The progression of the disease is often observed in children. This is a serious disease, accompanied by low blood pressure, tremor of the limbs, tendons lose their functionality. With Aran-Duchene atrophy, the disease affects the tips of the limbs, the fingers and toes fall under the blow. The tendons do not perform their functions, but the person feels everything. Further atrophy passes to the trunk and neck.

When a patient is diagnosed with a lesion of the muscular apparatus, the main disease that provoked this phenomenon is first of all treated.

Is it possible to restore the functionality of muscles and limbs and live a full life. But there are pathologies that lead to irreversible changes in the body. In this case, doctors use all methods to reduce the intensity of the process of muscle oppression. This applies to diseases: myopathy and amyotrophy.

In order to restore atrophied muscles, the patient is transferred to a diet. The diet should be increased in protein content, which helps regenerate damaged tissues. In this case, the amount of the consumed substance should be equal to 2 grams for every 1 kilogram of the patient's body weight. The menu should include dishes with a sufficient content of carbohydrates and natural fats. Deficiency in the body of one of the elements causes a deterioration in the condition, nullifying the rest of the methods used.

The use of drug treatment is mandatory regarding how to restore muscles after atrophy. Regeneration processes are impossible without access to oxygen and nutrients, which is what blood vessels do. But the delivery of the necessary components by damaged arteries is impossible, therefore medicines are used to help restore normal blood circulation to the affected areas. Metabolic processes in muscles subjected to immobilization are also restored.

Rehabilitation of damaged areas of the muscular apparatus is not possible without performing physical exercises with a gradual increase in load. This is not only a strengthening that affects the entire body, but also an excellent tool for building muscle tissue, which contributes to the gradual return of the damaged organ to the system.

Medicines

Medicines prescribed by a doctor during the rehabilitation period:

• Vitamin complexes, consisting of groups A, E and B;
• Containing amino acids;
• Means for accelerating regeneration processes. Potassium orotate, riboxin, retabolil are prescribed;
• Adenosine triphosphate. A substance that supplies energy to cells for the accelerated flow of biochemical reactions in tissue cells;
• Medicines to improve blood circulation in the periphery of the damaged organ. To do this, appoint nicotinic acid, pentoxifylline;
• Nootropic drugs. Helping to restore tissues of the brain and spinal cord;
• And without fail, substances are needed that will work to restore lost neural connections. This is the so-called. antagonists.

You can select several medications used in solving the problem of how to restore atrophied muscles:

• Galantamine. Taking the medicine helps the nerve fibers to conduct impulses. This process becomes easier. This drug is used for a long time, the dosage is regulated by the doctor. The agent enters the body by injection measures: into a vein, into a muscle, in the form of subcutaneous injection;
• Pentoxifylline. It is aimed at improving the blood supply to areas located on the margin of the affected area. The blood flow in the legs is normalized. No-shpa and papaverine can become an equivalent replacement for the drug. They remove spasmodic phenomena, allowing the blood to move without obstacles;
• Vitamins belonging to group B, return to normal impulse metabolism in nerve fibers. Also, the metabolism in the cells is significantly accelerated, which allows to reduce the terms of rehabilitation therapy, since the muscle quickly restores its previous volume.

Therapeutic exercise and physiotherapy

A set of exercises for the restoration of atrophied muscles is designed so that the load is dosed, with a gradual increase. At the same time, muscle mass increases, functionality returns.

At the first stage, classes are held that do not allow fatigue or the occurrence of pain. All movements are performed in slow mode. It is important to understand that at the moment the body is weakened and does not have the strength that it had before the defeat.

It is recommended to start with exercises in the water. This allows you to make all groups of the muscular apparatus work with a minimum load. In addition, water will help reduce pain. Regular exercise in the pool contributes to the return of tone in the affected areas of the body, the memory of functioning returns to the muscles. There is a relaxation of damaged muscle tissue. It is advisable to carry out all exercises with an instructor who will tell you the correct execution and will be able to advise additional movements for a better result.

While in the pool, do the following:

• Walk around the pool in a place where the depth reaches the waist;
• Over time, increase the depth and duration of walking;
• In order to maintain balance, use a stick, a special water bar.

Walking in the pool does not pose a threat to health, on the contrary, the muscles develop and strengthen. The lower part of the body also becomes much healthier. At this time, objects taken to maintain balance are used to train the upper half.

Raising the legs to hip height gives good results. Push-ups from the floor of the pool allows you to develop the muscular apparatus of the upper limbs. To do this, you need to go to the wall of the pool, put your hands on the floor and lift your body out of the water to the position of outstretched arms, then smoothly return to the water. If this exercise cannot be performed, then a simpler version is used: put bent elbows on the floor, lean against the wall.

After sufficient strengthening of the muscles, they begin to perform exercises without the use of water space. In this case, the first classes are conducted under the supervision of a doctor or an experienced instructor, then the second stage is allowed for self-fulfillment.

Movements are performed from a prone position. This is raising the legs, training the arms, loading the whole body.

Massage treatments and physiotherapy activities

During the rehabilitation period of atrophied muscles, a massage room and procedures where medical devices are used are required.

The massage is performed by a specialist. In this case, a sparing technique is used, which involves a minimal effect of force on the affected area. Massage is carried out not only on the damaged limb. The patient's back should also be massaged. The duration of the actions performed on each part of the body is from 5 to 10 minutes. On average, the entire procedure lasts 1/3 hour. To achieve the result, up to 18 sessions are held. If the recovery is fast, then 12 visits will be enough.

Unfortunately, the disease does not go away completely. To maintain the condition, it is necessary to repeat the therapy three times a year.

Muscle atrophy is an insidious disease that gradually shackles the body if there is no treatment. To defeat the disease, to return to a full-fledged existence, timely seeking medical help and following all the recommendations of doctors and instructors will help. The first discomfort, incomprehensible conditions in the limbs, should lead to a consultation with a doctor, where they can make a diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.