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muscle tone

physiology
Also known as: tonic activity, tonus

Quick Summary

Muscle tone refers to the continuous, passive partial contraction of muscles. This state is maintained by the nervous system and allows muscles to be ready to respond to stimuli. It's crucial for posture, balance, and smooth movements.1

Muscle spindles, sensory receptors within muscles, play a key role in muscle tone. They constantly report on muscle length and the rate of change in length to the central nervous system. This feedback helps regulate muscle contraction and maintain a desired posture.1

While muscles can regenerate and adapt to use, immobilization leads to muscle wasting and reduced oxidative capacity. Conditions like myotonia involve difficulty relaxing a muscle after contraction, often due to issues with the muscle fiber membrane's electrical activity. Dystonias are sustained muscular contractions causing abnormal postures, stemming from diseases of the basal ganglia.23

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