Muscle atrophy

Muscle atrophy refers to a condition where muscle fibers become thinner and muscle volume decreases due to various causes, leading to reduced muscle strength. It can be classified into neurogenic muscle atrophy, myogenic muscle atrophy, disuse muscle atrophy, and other types of muscle atrophy. Neurogenic and myogenic types are more common. Patients primarily present with reduced muscle volume, muscle weakness, and weight loss. Reduced muscle volume For example, thinning of the limbs; square shoulders due to deltoid atrophy; and thinning and flattening of the palms with prominent bone contours due to hand muscle atrophy. Decreased muscle strength Calf muscle atrophy mainly manifests as difficulty squatting and standing; if it is atrophy of small muscles, it first presents as impaired fine motor skills, such as difficulty writing due to interosseous muscle atrophy in the hand. Craniofacial muscle atrophy mainly presents as difficulty chewing, choking during swallowing, and difficulty extending the tongue; atrophy of the neck and proximal limb muscles mainly presents as difficulty lifting the head, prominent scapulae, and difficulty lifting the limbs. Weight loss When muscle volume significantly decreases, noticeable weight loss will occur.