Glycogen storage disease VII is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder characterized clinically by exercise intolerance, muscle cramping, exertional myopathy, and compensated hemolysis. Myoglobinuria may also occur. The deficiency of the muscle isoform of PFK results in a total and partial loss of muscle and red cell PFK activity, respectively. Raben and Sherman (1995) noted that not all patients with GSD VII seek medical care because in some cases it is a relatively mild disorder.

Hereditary rippling muscle disease is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by mechanically triggered contractions of skeletal muscle. In rippling muscle disease, mechanical stimulation leads to electrically silent muscle contractions that spread to neighboring fibers that cause visible ripples to move over the muscle. RMD is usually inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, but autosomal recessive inheritance has also been reported (Kubisch et al., 2005). Genetic Heterogeneity of Rippling Muscle Disease Another locus for RMD, designated RMD1 (600332), maps to chromosome 1q41.

Brody disease (BROD) is an autosomal recessive skeletal muscle disorder characterized by exercise-induced muscle stiffness and cramps primarily affecting the arms, legs, and eyelids, although more generalized muscle involvement may also occur. Symptom onset is most often in the first decade, but many patients present and are diagnosed later in life. Skeletal muscle biopsy typically shows variation in fiber size, increased internal nuclei, and atrophy of type II muscle fibers. Rare patients have been reported to develop malignant hyperthermia after administration of anesthesia, suggesting that patients with the disorder should be tested. The disorder results from defective relaxation of fast-twitch (type II) skeletal muscle fibers due to defects in calcium homeostasis and reuptake in the muscle fiber (summary by Odermatt et al., 2000 and Molenaar et al., 2020).

Phosphorylase kinase (PhK) deficiency causing glycogen storage disease type IX (GSD IX) results from deficiency of the enzyme phosphorylase b kinase, which has a major regulatory role in the breakdown of glycogen. The two types of PhK deficiency are liver PhK deficiency (characterized by early childhood onset of hepatomegaly and growth restriction, and often, but not always, fasting ketosis and hypoglycemia) and muscle PhK deficiency, which is considerably rarer (characterized by any of the following: exercise intolerance, myalgia, muscle cramps, myoglobinuria, and progressive muscle weakness). While symptoms and biochemical abnormalities of liver PhK deficiency were thought to improve with age, it is becoming evident that affected individuals need to be monitored for long-term complications such as liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

A rare metabolic myopathy with characteristics of muscle cramping and/or stiffness after exercise (especially during heat exposure), post-exertional rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria and elevation of serum creatine kinase. Caused by mutation in the SLC16A1 gene.

Myopathy with myalgia, increased serum creatine kinase, and with or without episodic rhabdomyolysis (MMCKR) is an autosomal recessive disorder of skeletal muscle characterized by the onset of muscle cramping and stiffness on exertion in infancy or early childhood, although later (even adult) onset has also been reported. The features remit with rest, but some individuals develop mild proximal or distal muscle weakness. Rare affected individuals may demonstrate cardiac involvement, including left ventricular dysfunction or rhythm abnormalities. Laboratory studies show increased baseline serum creatine kinase levels with episodic spikes that may coincide with rhabdomyolysis. EMG shows myopathic changes, and muscle biopsy shows nonspecific myopathic or degenerative features (Lopes Abath Neto et al., 2021; Salzer-Sheelo et al., 2022).