What is muscle tone?

Muscle tone is one of the physiological properties of the human body. The nature of this condition has not yet been established, but there are several theories that experts adhere to. The muscle tension in the state of rest can change under the influence of external factors or diseases of the nervous system. There are two types of pathology: hypertonicity and hypotension. In the article, we will examine in detail their symptoms and treatment.

The importance of muscle tone

Tonic tension of the muscles is a normal physiological state of the human body, which is carried out at the reflex level. Without it, it would be impossible to perform many movements, and also to maintain the position of the body. Muscle tone maintains the body in readiness for active action. This is its main purpose.

What is the mechanism of the muscles in normal tone? If all the fibers of the tissue are involved in the movement, then at rest they alternate. While some are tense, others rest. It is interesting that the process is directly affected by the psychoemotional state of a person. For example, a decrease in muscle tone leads to a decrease in performance and is observed mainly during sleep. The condition is accompanied by a natural calm: the excess excitement is significantly reduced.

The regulation of muscle tone is carried out with the help of alpha and gamma motoneurons, afferent fibers and spindles. Impulses come from the brain. Basal nuclei, cerebellum, middle brain (red nucleus, black matter, quadruple, reticular formation) are responsible for maintaining muscle tone . When neurons are affected, responsible for tonic tension, there are violations of it: hypotension or hypertension of the muscles.

Diagnosis in adult patients

Change in tone can occur for various reasons. Most often these are diseases of the nervous system or a complex psychoemotional state. The neurologist or orthopedist deals with the problem of muscle tone disorder. In order to correctly diagnose, conduct an examination. The evaluation of muscle tension in a relaxed state and with passive movements is performed using special tests: head drop, supination-pronation, foot swing, shaking by the shoulders and others.

It is rather difficult to conduct an inspection: not every patient can completely relax. At the same time, the qualification of the doctor is also important - the speed of passive movements influences the evaluation of the state. External factors can also distort the results: the muscle tone changes under the influence of temperature and mental state. The most difficult situations require a re-examination.

Tonus in children under one year of age

In the womb of the mother the fetus is very closely packed, so all the muscles are in constant tension. After birth, the baby has a physiological hypertonia. In this case, the head is thrown back, and the legs and handles are brought to the body.

On what muscles are strained, the position of the child in the womb and in the generic process influences. For example, with facial presentation, there is an increased neck tone (the newborn tilts his head back). When the position "forward with the buttocks" the legs of the child are spread apart, forming an angle of 90 ° between each other. Lying on the bed, the kid tries to adopt the habitual position of the embryo.

Diagnosis of the tone in infants

When conducting an examination, a pediatrician or neurologist evaluates the state of muscle tone of a child by the following signs:

• At 1 month, the baby, lying on his stomach, tries to lift the head and holds it for a few seconds. With his feet he makes bending movements, as if crawling. If you put your hand under the feet, it will be repulsed from it.
• By 3 months the child holds his head confidently. If you raise it in an upright position, the legs will move like in walking. The child can rely on the foot. If you put it on your back and pull on the handles, it will pull itself up at your own strength.
• Up to 6 months the baby rolls from the stomach to the back, tries to get on all fours, holds small items in his hands.
• By the year the child confidently sits, tries to walk with support and himself, develops small motor skills.

If the baby can not perform one of the above actions due to excessive tension or, conversely, muscle weakness, talk about pathology. In addition, the doctor evaluates the symmetry of the tone. For this, the arms and legs of the child are alternately bent and unbent. Observe for active movements in different positions of the body. A deviation from the norm is hypotension, hypertonia, which persists even during sleep, and dystonia of the muscles.

Types of hypertension and the causes of its development

Increased muscle tone can manifest itself in different ways. Specialists distinguish:

• Spasticity - develops due to craniocerebral and spinal injuries, meningitis, encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke. Characterized by the uneven distribution of hypertonia, when spasm is exposed to only certain muscle groups.
• Rigidity is a sharp increase in the tone of skeletal muscles, arises from diseases of the nervous system, poisoning the action of certain poisons.
• Gegenhalten - sharply increasing resistance of muscles with passive movements of any type. Occurs in connection with the defeat of mixed or corticospinal tracts in the frontal areas of the brain.
• Myotonia - is characterized by a slowing down of relaxation of stressed muscles after active movements.
• Psychogenic hypertension - during the fit, a "hysterical arc" is formed.

In children, the cause of hypertension is birth trauma, hypoxia in childbirth, damage to the nervous system and brain, meningitis, excessive excitability or hyperactivity.

Symptoms of hypertension

Hypertension of the muscles is expressed in excessive tension in the relaxed state. The disease can be determined by the following signs:

• Reduction of motor functions, stiffness in muscles;
• Seals;
• Feeling of constant tension;
• Soreness;
• Spasms;
• Significant resistance of muscles with passive movements;
• In children, tearfulness, increased nervous excitability, increased muscle resistance in the repetition of flexion-extensor movements;
• In the vertical position with the support of the legs, the toddler pushes the feet, becoming on tiptoes;
• Slowing down the motor development of the child (does not sit down, does not crawl, does not walk at the right age).

It is not difficult to notice hypertonicity in an adult or child, especially in the middle and severe stages. The gait changes, the actions are carried out with constraint, with great difficulty. The children are clamped and tense, often shout and sleep badly, react painfully to any, even insignificant, noise. After eating, there is abundant regurgitation.

Causes and Symptoms of Muscle Hypotension

Weak muscle tone is characterized by low tissue tension in a relaxed state, which makes it difficult to bring them into action. This is mainly due to injuries or diseases of the spinal cord, cerebellum or extrapyramidal disorders and cerebellar lesions. There are also seizures, during which the muscle tone temporarily decreases. This occurs in the acute phase of a stroke or in a mid-brain tumor.

Weak muscle tone in children is less common than hypertension. Its appearance can be triggered by prematurity, delayed development of the brain, damage to the peripheral nerves during the birth process, congenital malformations, Down's syndrome, rickets.

Symptoms of muscle hypotension in babies are:

• Lethargy, too relaxed condition;
• Impaired breathing, inability to swallow, suck;
• Poor motor activity;
• Excessive drowsiness, poor weight gain.

Violation of muscle tone in the direction of its decrease can be observed in adulthood. This is usually caused by various diseases: muscle dystrophy, sepsis, rickets, meningitis, Sandifer's syndrome. The condition is accompanied by physical weakness, reduced resistance when performing passive movements. The joints flex flexibly, the muscles feel soft.

Muscular dystonia in adults and children

In the dystonia of the muscles, an uneven tone is observed. At the same time there are signs of both hypotension and hypertension. The main symptoms of dystonia in children and adults are:

• Excessive tension of certain muscles and relaxation of others;
• Spastic contractions;
• Involuntary movements of the feet or hands;
• Fast or slow movements of individual parts of the body.

The state develops in connection with genetic, infectious diseases, birth traumas, the strongest intoxications.

Treatment

Muscle tone is important in time to normalize, especially in childhood. Progression of the symptoms leads to impaired movement, scoliosis, cerebral palsy, delayed development. There are several methods of treatment:

• Massage with muscle tonus gives good results, for this the muscles are stroked, kneaded, stretched, trained by their strength, performing physiological movements (flexion-extension);
• Therapeutic gymnastics, including in the water;
• Physiotherapy: electrophoresis, ultrasound, treatment with heat, water and mud;
• In complex cases, medicines are used, among which B vitamins, dibazol, and midocals can be prescribed.

With hypertension, the muscles tend to relax with strokes, medical trauma, light massage, stretching. When hypotension, on the contrary, stimulate motor movements, performing exercises of muscle tone. Motor activity significantly improves the patient's condition.

Violation of muscle tone is a common problem in children of the first year of life and adults with diseases of the nervous system. It is quite easy to treat with the help of massages, less often - medicines. Mobility returns to normal, and there is no trace of the problem. The main thing is to start treatment on time, not allowing serious violations and deviations in the development of the skeleton and muscles.