[tri-med] Re: muscle tone

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Karen" <karens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> I know that children with T-18 are born with reduced
> muscle mass - that is less muscle fibres than typical kids. I would guess
> its the same with some of the other flavours.

That was one of the things that I wondered.

When I look at some teenaged boys who are pretty sendetary, many of them are
still 'strong' esp compared to Alex. They seem to be 'buff' without trying.

Does this also apply to lung function/lung capability at all?????  I mean is
there a
tie-in of type/amount of muscle fibers present to lung ability?

>I have no idea what particular
> type of fibres are predominant but I suspect that it has no relation to
> trisomy - muscle fibre type is usually inhereded from the parents.

This I didn't know.........poor Alex!  lol


> Thats why I know that Alex will always be stick legs - there just aint any
> muscles there.

With US Alex it's the upper body/arms area. He has strong legs.


> > I suspect that there are two problems here. The first is that he
"improved"
> when he was doing the sit up because he kept working at it and probably as
> much because he was determined to be able to. I suspect that the problem
is
> not that he got better or stronger as much as his own personal will to do
it
> got better.

Makes sense.

>
> Secondly you are talking about two very different types of exercise. One
is
> using upper body strength alone and the other (push ups) is also using the
> abdomen and the legs. I suspect that the stronger lower limb muscles are
> compensating for the upper body.

Also makes sense.

>
> The new exercise are not only upper limb exercises but they also require
> them to be done whilst stabilising the trunk and joints. I know that US
Alex
> has hypermobile joints and can just imagine how much effort is going into
> keeping the joints stable instead of in lifting the weights etc. That is
he
> is expending energy on what we take for granted.

That thought didn't even OCCURE to me! And that makes a LOAD of sense.
Alex's shoulders, as you know, are hyper-mobile as are his thumbs.

Thanks Karen. This is something that is frustrating to Alex and that is what
prompted me to ask.

Michelle mom to Alex (17, partial trisomy 14 mosaic) and Molly (13)
MichiganUSA


                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
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