Pathologies of the neuromuscular system manifest in a sometimes confusing array of clinical signs and symptoms. To select the most appropriate therapeutic intervention, be it functional training or the use of various orthoses and assistive devices to accommodate for an impairment, the clinician must develop a strategy to "classify" the movement disorder that has produced the observed impairments and functional limitations. The clinician must understand the medical prognosis and potential progression of the disease process, as well as the risk factors that might contribute to secondary impairments that limit function over time and their impact on the individual's growth and development.