Muscle tone refers to the amount of tension or resistance to movement in muscles, which helps us maintain our posture and control the speed and amount of movement we can achieve
. It is the continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles or the muscle's resistance to passive stretch during the resting state
. Muscle tone is regulated by the activity of motor neurons and can be influenced by various factors, including age, disease, and nerve damage
. There are two types of muscle tone:
- Postural tone : This type of tone is seen in axial muscles, where gravity is the most important factor. It results from a steady stretch on the muscles and tendons and manifests as prolonged muscle contraction
- Phasic tone : This type of tone is associated with the ability of muscles to undergo rapid changes in length and is essential for generating reflexes and maintaining balance
Muscle tone serves several purposes:
- Maintaining posture and balance
- Generating reflexes
- Controlling the proper function of other organ systems
Muscle tone is controlled by the sensory muscle spindle, which measures muscle stretch, and the Golgi tendon organ, which is responsible for preventing damage to the associated muscles
. It is essential to assess muscle tone in various areas before deciding if a person has high, low, or normal muscle tone
