What factor contributes to skin integrity risk in muscular dystrophy?

• A. Increased coughing
• B. Decreased mobility
• C. Enhanced sensation
• D. Excessive skin care

Answer: (B)

Limited movement is the main factor that raises skin integrity risk in muscular dystrophy. When mobility is reduced, a person spends longer periods with continuous pressure on the same skin areas—especially over bony prominences like the sacrum, heels, and elbows. This prolonged pressure impedes blood flow to the skin, leading to tissue ischemia and breakdown, and the reduced muscle padding from atrophy makes those areas more vulnerable. Moisture from sweating or incontinence can further aggravate skin irritation in immobile individuals, accelerating damage. Increased coughing mainly affects the respiratory system, not skin integrity; enhanced sensation is not typically a driver of skin breakdown, and good skin care helps prevent problems rather than creating risk, so excessive skin care isn’t the key factor.