Improving Muscle Length to Prepare For Future SMA Muscle Targeted Therapy

In preparation for a muscle-targeted treatment, which is currently under development by Scholar Rock for patients with SMA, we have continued to work to maintain the strength improvements Michael has made, but we have also shifted to increasing his range of motion in...
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Helping To Control Swelling In Lower Extremities For SMA Patients

Swelling in the lower extremities is a common occurrence in people who are diagnosed with SMA, secondary to different reasons. Some reasons include lack of muscle contraction and the ability to pump fluid out of their feet, as well as positional limitations during the...
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Q&A Between Physical Therapist and SMA Patient

Michael and I have been working together for the past couple of years, and while speaking with each other about my March HCP article, we thought that doing a question-and-answer article would be interesting. Michael would ask me 5 questions, and I would ask him 5...
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Using Dry Needling To Relieve Muscle Spasms For SMA Patients

Dry needling has been a popular treatment in the world of physical therapy for the past few years and is continuing to gain popularity with more research being performed. There are many different reasons to use dry needling to improve your patients' function, with the...
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Motor Function, Breathing Important in Choosing Treatment

Improvement in motor function, breathing, and ease of administration are among the factors that people with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and their caregivers value most when deciding on available treatments, a new study reports. The study, "Treatment preference among...
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Spinraza Shown to Preserve Respiratory Muscle Strength in SMA Type 2 Patients

Spinraza (nusinersen) effectively preserves respiratory muscle strength in addition to motor function in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 2, according to a real-life, small study in France. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings, and to...
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Transitioning SMA Patients From Older Wheelchairs To Newer Wheelchairs

Transitioning from one wheelchair to another can be especially difficult for people with SMA. Most of the time, it is suggested that you receive a new wheelchair approximately every five years. As for my patient who has SMA, he has been in the same wheelchair for...
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Paramedian Injection Approach Found to Ease Spinraza Administration

Administering Spinraza (nusinersen) via a particular method of injection, called the paramedian approach, can shorten procedure times and reduce the occurrence of adverse events for people with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a small study suggests. This method may...
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Survey Finds COVID-19 Disrupted Care, Well-Being of Rare Disease Patients in Europe

The first wave of COVID-19 in Europe severely disrupted access to care and raised stress and anxiety in people with rare diseases, negatively affecting their health and well-being, according to a survey conducted by Eurordis-Rare Diseases Europe. “People living with...
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Genetic Analysis of Families Finds Novel Mutations in SMA

Genetic analysis of 28 families with a member affected by spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) identified novel mutations in the SMN1 gene and different genes widely prevalent in SMA patients not found in unaffected family members, a study reveals.  The study,...
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Nerve-muscle Communication Molecule May Be SBMA Therapeutic Target, Study Says

Increasing the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — a molecule involved in the communication between nerve cells and muscle — specifically in muscle delayed symptom onset and slowed disease progression in a mouse model of spinal and bulbar muscular...

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Latest Articles from SMA HCP

#CureSMA2021 – Spinal Catheter Safe and Effective in Using Spinraza

#CureSMA2021 – Spinal Catheter Safe and Effective in Using Spinraza

Jun 11, 2021

Editor’s note: The SMA News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual SMA Research & Clinical Care Meeting, held June 9–11. Go here to read stories from the conference. Delivering Spinraza (nusinersen) directly into the upper spinal cord...

#CureSMA2021 – Evrysdi Shows Promise as Secondary Therapy

#CureSMA2021 – Evrysdi Shows Promise as Secondary Therapy

Jun 10, 2021

Editor’s note: The SMA News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual SMA Research & Clinical Care Meeting, held June 9–11. Go here to read stories from the conference.  Evrysdi (risdiplam) appeared both safe and effective when used after other...

SMA Patient Columns

My Experience with the JACO Robotic Arm

Throughout my life, I have required assistance with the most basic tasks. Things like scratching my head, getting myself a drink, or picking something up off the floor are just a few items on a never-ending list of impossibilities. Fortunately, there is now technology...
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The Amino Acid Diet and Its Benefits

Nutrition has always been a challenge for my daughter, Ella. And, in turn, it is a challenge for my wife and me. Due to Ella's disease, she has an increased amount of difficulty digesting long-chain fats (meats, cheeses, etc.) and she also has a hard time maintaining...
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