What Causes Exercise Intolerance?

Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy is a disease that affects the portion of the nervous system responsible for controlling the movement of the voluntary muscles. The majority of the nerve cells controlling muscles can be found in the spinal cord, which is why the disease includes the term 'spinal.' It's a muscular disease based on the effect it has on the muscles. Atrophy refers to the muscles shrinking as they fail to be active. With spinal muscular atrophy, individuals lose the motor neurons found in their spinal cord. The disease is genetic, but the progression, symptoms, and age of onset are all highly variable. The younger an individual is when affected, the greater the probable impact on their motor skills. Spinal muscular atrophy symptoms cover a broad range, though the main one is weakness in an individual's voluntary muscles. Spinal curves might also develop when the back muscles become weak. Because of the weakening of the muscles, patients with spinal muscular atrophy have an intolerance to exercise.