Aspects of Motor Disability
In recent years, there has been an increase in the levels of well-being in society, which has transformed the style and quality of life of the population in general. One of the most notable changes in this new lifestyle is the widespread acceptance that physical activity is beneficial for the person by preventing disease, improving mood, elevating self-esteem, helping in the formation of the individual, and facilitating interaction and social integration.
To start with the topic of motor disability, it’s important that you understand the function of the nervous system because motor disability involves brain functions that send information to the body through the nerves. The brain fulfills three main functions:
a) Sensitive
The brain is capable of feeling certain changes or stimuli inside the organism, that is, the internal environment (such as a stomachache); but also outside of it, that is, the external environment (for example, a drop of rain that falls on the hand or the scent of a rose).
b) Integrative
The sensitive information is analyzed; some aspects are stored and decisions are made about the behavior to follow.
c) Motor
Motor function is the response that the brain organizes based on the stimuli; for example, muscle contractions, movements, or glandular secretions such as salivation when seeing food.
The nervous system is made up of:
a) Neurons
Neurons are the cells that make up the central nervous system. They are found in the brain and spinal cord. Their main task is to receive and send information, to tell the brain about our body and environment and how to produce and direct our actions and thoughts.
b) Spinal cord
In addition to neurons, the spinal cord contains nerve endings that carry information from the neurons to the brain; others carry motor information back to muscles and organs.
c) Brain stem
All the nerve endings of the spinal cord converge here. It interprets the sensations of all functions that are not controlled consciously and voluntarily (such as breathing during sleep and heartbeat). It also organizes and relates the activities of each side of the brain to function harmoniously.
d) Cerebellum
The cerebellum processes all kinds of sensations, but especially organizes those of gravity, movement, the muscular system, and joints so that the body moves smoothly and with precision.
e) Cerebral hemispheres
These hemispheres process sensory information, including its meaning. They also plan and develop the response that the body will give. Within the cerebral hemispheres is the limbic system, responsible for regulating growth and emotional response.
f) Cerebral cortex
This area is responsible for the interpretation of sounds and images, and for voluntary control of the body. A specific part moves each part of the body (for example, the areas for the fingers, hands, and speech muscles are larger than the sections for the rest of the body). To move the hands and the mouth, directed, precise, and complex movements such as writing and speaking, respectively, are established. The cerebral cortex also receives information from other areas. For example, the vision area takes sound, movement, or touch information to give meaning to the image it perceives through the “association areas”.
That is why each function that is affected by a motor disability will be the part where the limitation or lack of control is found and is reflected in the dysfunction in the musculoskeletal system by directly altering the bones, joints, and muscles.
The following are some types of motor disability: spinal cord injuries (paraplegia, quadriplegia), affectations in vertebrae and spinal cord, poliomyelitis, myelomeningocele or spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy in its motor part, amputation of lower limbs, hip deviations and head injuries.
