Former England captain and 2003 World Cup victor, Lewis Moody, has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). Express Sport looks at what MND is, its symptoms and why rugby players are at greater risk of contracting the condition…
What is motor neurone disease?
Motor neurone disease (MND) is a condition that causes muscle weakness which progressively worsens over months or years. The messages from motor neurones in the spine and brain gradually cease reaching muscles, leading them to weaken, stiffen and waste away.
Currently, there is no cure for MND, but treatments can help manage symptoms for as long as possible. The condition typically develops in individuals over the age of 50. People diagnosed with MND have a reduced life expectancy.
What are the symptoms?
Early symptoms include stiff or weak hands – people may struggle with holding or gripping things. Other signs include weak legs and feet, causing issues with tripping over, lifting the feet or climbing stairs, for example.
People may also experience painful twitches, spasms or muscle cramps. Later signs of MND include problems with breathing, swallowing and speaking. Around half of people with MND experience changes to their thinking and behaviour.
How is MND diagnosed?
Neurologists can typically diagnose MND following a patient being referred by a GP. Tests that aid in diagnosing MND include blood tests, nerve tests, and MRI scans.
MND symptoms can progress at varying speeds, which can make diagnosing the condition challenging.
Can sport trigger the condition?
A 2022 study from the University of Glasgow, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, discovered that former international rugby players faced approximately a 2.5 times elevated risk of neurodegenerative disease compared to the general population, with a 15 times greater risk of MND.
Headed by consultant neuropathologist Prof Willie Stewart, researchers analysed health outcomes amongst 412 male, Scottish, former international rugby players and over 1,200 matched individuals from the wider population.
Prof Stewart remarked when his study was published: “I am genuinely concerned about what is happening in the modern game, and that if, in 20 years’ time, we repeat this study we would see something even more concerning.
“Rugby has talked a lot and done a lot about head injury management and whether it can reduce head injury during (training). Those conversations have gone on a while and the pace of progress is pretty slow.”
Other studies have indicated that professional footballers also face an elevated risk of neurodegenerative disease. Former Scotland rugby union star Doddie Weir and ex-England rugby league legend Rob Burrow both tragically passed away from MND.
In 2022, former Gloucester and Leicester Tigers player Ed Slater was diagnosed with MND. Similarly, former Liverpool and Bradford footballer Stephen Darby had to hang up his boots at just 29 in 2018 after being diagnosed with the same condition.
How many people are affected and are there different types of MND?
MND affects up to 5,000 adults in the UK at any given time. Overall, there is a one in 300 risk of developing MND during a person’s lifetime.
Various forms of MND impact individuals in different ways. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) represents the most prevalent type of MND, triggering weakness and deterioration in the limbs, muscle rigidity and cramping. Initial symptoms typically include stumbling or losing grip on objects. Life expectancy is generally two to five years.
Bulbar onset MND or progressive bulbar palsy (PBP) primarily targets the muscles of the face, throat and tongue, with early indicators including speech slurring or swallowing difficulties.
Progressive muscular atrophy (PMA) impacts fewer individuals, whilst primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) represents a rare variant of MND.