Adapting to Muscular Dystrophy with Dano Lotz PH156

<p style="text-align:center;">“When I was 12, I played my last season of parks and rec basketball in braces, and after that, everyone was basically like, 'Hey, no sports.  Try to limit activity, we don't need you to get hurt because you could seriously injure yourself.'  So, it basically turned into video games and reading.  I think it was in the best interest to keep me safe, but in my mind I was like, 'So, I don't get to play with my friends unless I'm inside?'” - Dano Lotz</p> <p class="p1">Imagine being an active kid who loves playing baseball, basketball, soccer- basically anything outdoors.  You notice you’re a little slower than your classmates, but you chalk it up to minor differences, and go on playing sports for the love of the game.  Then, at age 12, you’re put in leg braces and told you need to stop being active in order to prevent injury.  Suddenly your world shrinks to afternoons on the couch, reading and playing video games.</p> <p class="p1">This was the case for Daniel ‘Dano’ Lotz, who was born with a genetic condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease.  CMT is a form of muscular dystrophy that affects sensory and motor nerves in the extremities, causing nerve degeneration and resulting in muscle weakness.  In Dano’s case, his CMT affects his lower legs, including his calves and ankles.</p> <p class="p1">Dano wasn’t about to let his condition hold him back.  At 16 he started weight training with the football team at his high school, and he found a new passion.  Working out helped him regain muscle mass and motor control, and it gave him the satisfaction of being part of a team.  It also ignited a fire to one day become a trainer himself.</p> <p class="p1">As Dano continued to improve and build strength, his mentality changed.  Rather than letting his limitations hold him back, he became more and more active- but ended up breaking several pairs of braces, an expensive habit.  He decided to stop wearing the braces and continued with his active lifestyle.  After several years of wor