What are the symptoms ?

The average age at diagnosis in Becker muscular dystrophy is 11 years but the range is very wide - sometimes the diagnosis may be made in early childhood or well into adult life. Symptoms usually begin very mildly in childhood; often cramps on exercise are the only problem at first but a few affected boys are late in learning to walk.

· A typical developmental history of a patient with BMD may include the following:

• Delayed gross motor milestones (eg, late walking, running, jumping, difficulty with stair climbing) may be reported.
• Initially, some children who are later diagnosed with BMD may be called clumsy.
• Increasing numbers of falls, toe walking, and difficulty rising from the floor may be later features.
• Use of Gowers Maneuver or a modified form to get up from floor. –See Youtube examples.
• Calf muscles initially enlarge (an attempt by the body to compensate for loss of muscle strength), but the enlarged muscle tissue is eventually replaced by fat and connective tissue (pseudohypertrophy) as the legs become less used.
• Proximal muscle weakness is reported.
• Subclinical cases may manifest later in life; dilated cardiomyopathy can be the first sign of BMD.
• Elevated CPK (creatine phosphokinase) levels in blood: Elevated CK levels are more common at younger ages and decreases later in life
• Elbow contractures may be seen later in life.
• Cardiomyopathy (damage to the heart) does not occur as commonly with this Becker as it does with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy but is a possible symptom .

Gower Maneuver

This is a Classic clinical sign in muscular dystrophy . due to proximal muscle weakness ,a boy may be is unable to stand from a sitting position. By walking the hands up the legs he can get himself in an upright standing position. I USE TO DO THIS UNTILL MY MID TWENTIES I now have to lean on a wall /Furniture or something solid. –See the links below

Examples as found on Youtube

distrofia de Duchenne signo de Gowers Tipico de la enfermedad