Dominic Stone
Muscle tone is a foundational property of the motor system, with the potential to impact musculoskeletal pain and motor performance. It is involuntary and dynamically adaptive, engaging different brain pathways than voluntary control. Muscle tone can be influenced by various factors, including genetics, sensory input, and physical disorders, resulting in either abnormally low (hypotonia) or high (hypertonia) muscle tone. Spasticity and rigidity are forms of hypertonia, characterised by involuntary muscle contractions that interfere with movement and, in some cases, speech. Treatments for spasticity include physical therapy, medication, and botulinum toxin injections. Somatic practices, such as Feldenkrais and the Alexander Technique, can also help alter muscle tone and improve pain and motor control. Understanding muscle tone is crucial for managing pain, enhancing performance, and treating various physical and neurological disorders.
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What You'll Learn
Muscle tone is involuntary
The level of muscle tone varies from person to person and can be described as high, low, or normal. Low muscle tone, or hypotonia, is associated with conditions like lower motor neuron disease, while high muscle tone, or hypertonia, is linked to upper motor neuron diseases. High muscle tone can be further classified as spasticity or rigidity, with spasticity being velocity-dependent and rigidity being velocity-independent.
Spasticity is characterised by increased resistance to passive stretch, and it is often seen in neurological conditions. Rigidity, on the other hand, affects all muscles surrounding a joint equally and is commonly associated with basal ganglia injuries and Parkinson's disease.
Various treatments are available for managing muscle tone, including physical therapy, medication, and injections of botulinum toxin or phenol. These treatments aim to reduce muscle spasms and improve comfort and function.
Somatic practices, such as Feldenkrais and Craniosacral Therapy, have also been found to alter muscle tone and improve pain and motor control. Additionally, verbal instructions based on techniques like the Alexander Technique can influence axial tone and adaptability.
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Muscle tone is distinct from voluntary control
The tonic leg extensor activation in stance, for example, constitutes tone, but the sustained flexor activation when making a fist does not. Muscle tone is also distinct from voluntary control in that it is not directly accessible to conscious control. While voluntary movements are initiated by conscious decisions, muscle tone is regulated by complex adaptive brain systems, and the neural regulation of active tone is influenced by high-level attentional factors.
The distinction between muscle tone and voluntary control is important in the context of movement disorders and therapeutic interventions. For instance, paratonia, a disorder of disinhibition, is characterised by increased muscle tone in response to passive movement. Botulinum toxin injections can be used to treat paratonia by reducing muscle tone and relieving involuntary resistance. Similarly, spasticity, a symptom of certain neurological conditions, causes involuntary muscle contractions that interfere with movement and speech. Treatments for spasticity, such as physical therapy, medication, and botulinum toxin injections, aim to reduce muscle tone and improve function.
Furthermore, muscle tone is distinct from voluntary control in terms of its genetic basis and developmental trajectory. Muscle tone develops according to a genetically determined timeline, evolving from a flexor to extensor bias in early infancy and sequentially providing postural support for the head and then the body. This developmental process is independent of voluntary control and reflects the intrinsic properties of the motor system.
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Muscle tone is sensitive to postural demands
Muscle tone is a foundational property of the motor system, which can impact musculoskeletal pain and motor performance. It is distinct from voluntary control and is involuntary, dynamically adaptive, and interconnected across the body.
The complex, dynamically adaptive neural system that regulates muscle tone is sensitive to postural demands. Tonic descending neural drive tunes the excitability of the nervous system, which is closely connected to muscle tone. Postural muscle tone is the functional role of holding the skeleton together and is typically assessed during antigravity postural maintenance, where muscle activation is required to prevent collapse. The tonic activation of upper and lower body musculature is larger when standing than when lying down. For example, the measured resistance to axial rotation was highest in the trunk and lowest in the neck.
Postural tone is modulated by loading and mechanical demands to stabilize body posture. It is typically less than 7% of maximal contraction and can disappear with the addition of external support. The differences between resting and postural tone are not well understood, but the main distinction may be the state of the subject during measurement. Postural tone may involve increased activity in the same circuitry as resting tone.
The nervous system is highly sensitive to central and peripheral input and can flexibly regulate the balance between mobility and stability. The classical studies of muscle tone were carried out in the early 20th century and described muscle tone as long-lasting, fatigue-resistant, and susceptible to interruption from reflex inhibition.
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Muscle tone is dynamically adaptive
Muscle tone is indeed involuntary and dynamically adaptive. It is distinct from voluntary control and engages different brain pathways. The tonic leg extensor activation in stance, for instance, constitutes tone, but the sustained flexor activation when making a fist does not. Muscle tone is also sensitive to postural demands and interconnected across the body.
The complex adaptive brain systems that regulate muscle tone are often overlooked in favour of isolated stretching and strengthening or volitional control of posture or muscle relaxation. However, the tone system is multifaceted and involuntary, and addressing it is complex. Somatic practices, such as Feldenkrais, Craniosacral Therapy, TMRTots, and the Alexander Technique, which incorporates light touch, have been found to alter muscle tone.
Verbal instructions based on the Alexander Technique have been shown to influence axial tone and adaptability, supporting the role of high-level, attentional influences on muscle tone. Spatial and bodily attention are important for pain management and may overlap with circuitry that influences tone.
The dynamic adaptability of muscle tone is evident in the varying levels of muscle tension that can be achieved through different practices and interventions. For example, local injections of botulinum toxin (Botox) or phenol can selectively reduce tone in muscles causing tightness or spasms, thereby improving comfort, positioning, and function. The effects of such treatments typically last around three months.
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Muscle tone is interconnected across the body
Muscle tone is indeed involuntary and is distinct from voluntary control. It is behaviourally distinct and engages different brain pathways. The tonic leg extensor activation in stance, for example, constitutes tone, but the sustained flexor activation when making a fist does not. Muscle tone is an adaptive function of the neuromotor apparatus that responds to commands from upper levels of movement construction. It is also sensitive to postural demands and is closely related to excitability.
The body maintains a balance between the tone of flexor and extensor muscle groups. However, sometimes, even in healthy individuals, that tone is lost in either group, resulting in muscle cramps. This is where the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of muscle tone across the body comes into play.
The neck position, for instance, can affect limb tone. There are also several cross-body interactions that influence muscle tone. Haptic finger contact has been observed to affect hip tone. These interactions can be a result of the mechanics of interconnected kinematic or myofascial chains. They can also be mediated by neural circuits.
The complex, dynamically adaptive neural system that regulates muscle tone is interconnected across the body. This system is highly sensitive to postural demands and is closely connected with the excitability of lower levels of the nervous system. The stimulus for muscle cramps may originate in the cerebral cortex, the spinal cord, or the muscle itself.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, muscle tone is involuntary and dynamically adaptive. It is distinct from voluntary control and engages different brain pathways.
Muscle tone represents a foundational property of the motor system, impacting musculoskeletal pain and motor performance. It is the tension in a muscle during a period of inactivity or relaxation.
Muscle tone is often assessed by measuring the resistance to passive joint motion through the change in force per unit length.
