By Leonor Mateus Ferreira
The nonprofit organization Cure SMA has released another one of its booklets focused on improving care for patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This edition, which is entitled “The Musculoskeletal System“ and included in the organization’s care series booklets, aims to increase knowledge on muscles and bones in order to increase the understanding on the chronic and disabling disease.
The new booklet is an updated version of Cure SMA’s most recent care series booklet and it was written by a group of physicians specializing in SMA and reviewed by families to become easily understandable and clear. “The Musculoskeletal System” is expected to address themes that impact most of the families who are affected by the burden of SMA, as explained by the organization in a press release. 
The musculoskeletal system is comprised of muscles, bones and supporting structures of the body, such as the tissue that links muscles and bones, the tendons, or the tissue that links different bones, the ligaments. Since it includes arms, legs and spine — parts of the body that are particularly affected by SMA — the purpose of the booklet is to inform not only the families and the children themselves, but also health care professionals, such as physicians, nurses or therapists, on the impact of SMA on the musculoskeletal system.