Girl started walking on her tiptoes at age 4 - then her whole life changed

Zoe Harrison, 26, said she was 'completely fine' up until her fourth birthday - when her parents took her to the doctor because they noticed something was wrong when she walked

A girl who suddenly started tip-toeing when she turned four says she was "completely fine" until doctors investigated the odd walking habit.

Zoe Harrison was found to have Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 1B - a rare genetic disorder causing muscle weakness and wasting, usually starting in the hips, thighs, and shoulders. The now 26-year-old, from Southport, said the condition came on suddenly with no symptoms prior to her fourth birthday, and saw her spend 12 years at Alder Hey Children's Hospital as a "permanent patient".

Zoe was diagnosed when her parents took her to the doctor after noticing something was wrong with her walking. The youth support worker said: "There were no indications that anything was wrong at all before this. But when I was four, I slowly started to go on my tip-toes when walking.

"The GP said I might've just been a toe walker and to leave it for a few years. I went back when I was seven for an unrelated cyst on my brain. When they were doing a full-body scan and a muscle biopsy, they realised I had the condition."

Zoe says the condition affects her whole body, especially her arms and legs, and gets aches and nerve pains daily that feel "sharp and electrical". The psychology graduate said: "Every morning I wake up, I have to take painkillers and muscle relaxers.

"I can walk just about the house, but it is awfully difficult. It is a lot of effort and very painful for me. I have an adapted walk because I struggle with balance and get quite dizzy. I always get a lot of spasms in my stomach and my bladder."

In a bid to raise awareness on her condition, Zoe launched a podcast called 'Dystrophy Diaries' on Spotify and YouTube, with the most recent episode featuring TV host Gabby Logan. Zoe said: "Unfortunately, neuromuscular conditions are not given the investment they desperately need for treatments, equipment and general support. It is my hope by getting this condition out there then hopefully that can change.

"I feel this is my purpose in my life. It's been a difficult journey. I spent 12 years at Alder Hey, pretty much as a permanent patient. I would come home for six weeks and then end up back in there for six months at a time. I missed out on a lot of life, but I feel like everything happens for a reason, and I believe this is my chance to raise awareness of the condition.

"I also want to help other people living with neuromuscular conditions know that they are not alone and that they can achieve anything they set their minds to. Life has been far from easy for me, but I was able to go to university, live independently, get a job, and even get married in a few months. Muscular dystrophy does not have to ruin your life; you just need to find your own way of doing things."