Muscular Dystrophy and Acupuncture Treatment A muscular Dystrophy is a group of more than 30 diseases characterized by the deterioration of the muscles that control movement. The most common type of MD is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which is caused by a lack of dystrophin—a protein necessary for maintaining muscle stability. It is a rapidly progressing disease that primarily affects boys, with most males losing the ability to walk by age 12. Myotonic MD, the most common form of MD found in adults, causes extended muscle spasms, cataracts, and cardiac abnormalities. Other types of muscular dystrophy include Facioscapulohumeral MD—progressive dystrophy affecting the face, arms, legs, chest and shoulder area—and Becker MD, which is similar to Duchenne MD and stems from low levels of or poor performing dystrophin.