Hypotonicity- a low amount of muscle tone. This is often noted after stroke, when muscles become completely or partially paralyzed. The muscles may no longer feel like they have much or any resistance to being stretched and moved around.
Why does tone happen after stroke?
The tone of muscles is controlled by signals from the brain. If the part of your brain that sends these control signals is damaged by a stroke, then the muscle may become too active. This is called spasticity. About 30 percent of stroke survivors will experience some form of muscle spasticity.
How does a stroke affect muscle tone?
Stroke may cause an abnormal increase in muscle tone, leading to spasticity. Muscle contractions become more intense. The contractions may involve one muscle or a group of muscles. For some, spasticity may be mild muscle stiffness, for others it may be severe, resulting in pain or spasms.