This report describes the clinical, laboratory, electromyographic, histopathological and computed tomographic studies of three patients suffering from sporadic distal myopathy. The most conspicuous features were: early onset in adulthood, weakness first affecting the distal leg muscles, marked elevation of serum creatine kinase (CK) activity, and electromyographic and histopathological findings predominantly consistent with myopathy. Computed tomographic examination of the skeletal musculature revealed that the most extensive changes were in the distal muscles of the legs. However, some proximal muscles also appeared to be involved, both clinically and radiologically. One conspicuous finding in all patients was the presence of marked low density abnormalities in the gluteus minimus muscles.