The goal of an LGMD symptom management plan is to ease the effects the disease has on various parts of the body. Typically, a team of healthcare providers is involved, often directed by a neurologist or neuromuscular specialist who is the patient’s primary doctor. A management plan may include:

• Physical and occupational therapy to help improve movement and perform activities of daily living
• Mobility devices such as walkers, canes, and wheelchairs
• Orthopedic surgery for some complications
• Speech and swallow therapies if facial muscles are affected
• Cardiac care for heart complications
• Ventilation machines or other respiratory aids for breathing difficulties
• Psychosocial support for the disease’s emotional challenges

Since many LGMD subtypes affect the heart and breathing muscles, it’s particularly critical that patients continue to be monitored for these life-threatening complications.