INTRODUCTION: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common and severe childhood muscular dystrophy, resulting in progressive muscle weakness. Physiotherapeutic treatment is essential to enhance the patient's quality of life. However, it is difficult to graduate the fatigue of the patient during treatment. Also, there is no description about physiological and metabolic changes during an activity of effort in DMD patients. OBJETIVES: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the physiological and metabolic changes in DMD patient during a physiotherapeutic treatment, relating them to the ratings of perceived exertion (PSE). METHODS: The study subject was a patient with DMD (male, 17 years). Were collected data on plasma concentrations of glucose and lactate, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and ratings of perceived exertion using Borg's CR10 scale. Data were collected to: 0, 15, 30 and 45 minutes of physiotherapeutic treatment. The session of physiotherapy was divided into 3 steps with increasing intensity of activity and muscular demand. RESULTS: The results showed a growing PSE during the physiotherapeutic treatment. It was found a proportional relationship between the PSE and metabolic variables. The physiological variables showed no proportional relationship with the PSE. CONCLUSION: Finally, it is suggested that the PSE is a simple way of monitoring the patient's fatigue with DMD, during physiotherapeutic treatment.
Muscular dystrophy of Duchenne; Physiological and metabolic changes; Ratings of perceived exertion
