Guest guest Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Hi Judith, With CMT it is normal to have a weaker side. My weak side is my left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Yes, one side can be weaker and it's more likely that the side you use the most will be the weaker side. Research to support this answer... http://www.aicmt.org/overwork.htm Overwork weakness in Charcot-Marie- Tooth disease. Vinci P, Esposito C, Perelli SL, Antenor JA, FP. Department of Rehabilitation of Charcot-Marie- Tooth Disease and Other Neuromuscular Disorders, Specialized Rehabilitation Hospital L. Spolverini, Ariccia, Rome, Italy. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of overwork weakness in Charcot-Marie- Tooth disease (CMT). DESIGN: Prospective survey. SETTING: Rehabilitation department for CMT in an Italian tertiary care hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 106 outpatients with CMT, selected for absence of other causes of weakness (age range, 11-69y), and 48 healthy volunteers (controls). INTERVENTIONS: The strength of 2 intrinsic hand muscles (abductor pollicis brevis [APB], first dorsal interosseous) in the dominant and nondominant hands was graded by using manual muscle testing and a modified Medical Research Council (MRC) Scale. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The side of the stronger muscle and the difference in strength between the nondominant and dominant muscles. RESULTS: Muscles were stronger on the nondominant side in 65.57% of patients versus 1.04% of controls, and on the dominant side in .94% of patients versus 84.38% controls. The difference in strength for first dorsal interosseous was ..51 in patients and -.32 in controls (P>.01). The difference in strength for APB was .65 in patients and -.35 in controls (P>.01). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Hi Judith, I am right handed and weaker on my right. My sister was left handed and weaker on her left. Kay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Does this mean that working our muscles makes us loose them faster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Hi Judith, I agree with the others that have chimed in. I definitely notice assymetric weakness. One thing that I have noticed too, is that the limbs that have endured more injury are the weakest. My left ankle has been through 3 surgeries and my left leg is very weak and has noticible muscle wasting compared to the right, which has never had a major injury. My right shoulder dislocates regularly and my right arm/hand is weaker than the left (I'm also right handed). Nice to know you are normal at least in an abnormal way, huh? Holli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Judith: I have weakness on both sides, but what have the docs questioning over here is the weakness in in my left leg and my right arm. The current thought is as I had late onset CMT -- I was 55 before foot drop showed up -- the progress of the disease may not be following recognized paths. Since I moved to Rome, I was blessed with a comprehensive EMG. It lasted over an hour. What caused consternation was the fact that my legs showed axonal while my arms seemed to show demyelinating. As the docs here said, " Must Study. " --Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 Larry, I am from upstate NY. Interestingly enough when I read your post about the exam in Rome, I thought of the fact that I don't follow any set symptoms i.e. of either CMT 2 or CMT 1, There are signs of both. Since I am Italian through-and-through, the thought has occurred to me that perhaps I have a neuropathy peculiar to the Mediterranean region.Any thoughts? I am now 70 and no one else in my family has been diagnosed with CMT although I am certain my Mom had it, onset late 60's, and my grandmother, also late in life. Interesting, isn't it? Will they (the MD's) let you know their findings? I would certainly be interested. Thanks, P. NY State Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Hello Everyone! I had wrote my right side was weaker, and I am right handed. My sister was left handed and her left was weaker. It should have read... my right was stronger and my sister's left side was stronger. Hope you all are having a great day! Kay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Hi Judith, I was just rereading your message. Well, I have more weakness in my left side, eg/foot/hand and go figure, I am left handed. Anyway my thumb on my left hand, talk about dropping things all the time,LOL I really have to watch it. Drop foot is left side and when I use a cane I definitely hold it with the right hand. So just thought I'd let you know what goes on with me. Have a great day and write back. Take care of yourself. Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Hi Elaine, I know how you feel. My left side is weaker and I am totally left-handed. My hands started acting up in around Thanksgiving. Now I'm dropping things every day, all day from morning to night -and the worst part of it is there is no one around to pick up what I dropped but me. And if I don't pick it up you can be sure I will trip over it -Ha! I try to remember to use both hand when picking things up. Lyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 My daughter also has a weaker side...her left and she is right handed. Me and her therapist were talking and wondered about if EMG/NCS done on both sides would show different results. Has anyone had that happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 I can't remember exact numbers (the EMG was 20 yrs ago) but I think the sides were different for me. I think that if your hands start to get contracted, now that I'm thirty eight and have worked so many typing jobs, that will also affect your abilities whether the conduction is slower or not. So, that being a side effect could also affect the abilities of the hands or feet. I still walk alot re: feet but noticed that if I stretch my feet alot, I can do so much more. That really helps improve function. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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