Engelmann disease
Definition
Engelmann disease is a rare genetic condition that causes the long bones in the legs to become abnormally wide and may change the structure of other bones in the body. Its effects include bone pain (especially in the legs), skeletal disorders, and weak, underdeveloped leg muscles.
Description
Despite their strength and durability, human bones are living organisms. Throughout the life span, bones are constantly being broken down and rebuilt again without losing their proper size and shape. Diseases that interfere with this delicately orchestrated process (called bone remodeling) can produce pain and restrict our freedom of movement. In Engelmann disease, which was first described in 1920, the shafts of the long bones in the legs become thicker than normal. The femur (thigh bone) and...
[The entire page is 1378 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
