Hypertonia is a condition that has its effects on the muscles, although its origin is found in the nervous system.
It occurs when the muscle tone is higher than normal, causing stiffness or greater efforts or resistance to move or stretch. Learn here about the different types of hypertonia, their causes and forms of prevention.
Muscles are structures and tissues present in the body of humans and most animals. They have the ability to generate movement by contracting and relaxing, always acting between antagonistic pairs.
They are made up of myocytes, specialized cells that have the property of increasing or decreasing their length when stimulated by impulses from the nervous system.
Muscle hypertonia is characterized by reduced agility of the muscles. These and translate into resistance, stiffness, limited trajectories or slower movements. In the long run, this condition can cause contractures or other muscle injuries.
The opposite of hypertonia is hypotonia, that is, a decrease in muscle tone or flaccidity. Specialists differentiate three types of hypertonia:
Spasticity
Spasticity is the type of hypertonia more common in children with cerebral palsy and is characterized by the fact that some muscles remain permanently contracted.
This causes stiffness and narrowing of the muscles, affecting different functions and movements such as balance, ambulation, swallowing, manipulation or speech.
Dystonia
Another type of hypertonia is dystonia, this is a movement disorder in which there is a sustained or intermittent muscle contraction that can cause involuntary movement or alterations in the patient’s posture.
- Foods to strengthen muscles and tendons
Dystonia can be generalized or focal, in the latter case it affects specific muscle groups of a body segment.
Stiffness
Stiffness is characterized by one or more joints that offer resistance to movement, regardless of the speed at which is done. It can also happen that the moving member does not return to the correct position or angle.
What to do to prevent hypertonia
Experts point out that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the best way to prevent any type of hypertonia, this includes the following habits:
Maintain a healthy diet
This type of diet includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals and lean meats. In some cases, specific foods are recommended to strengthen muscles and tendons, such as nuts, chard, spinach, mackerel, salmon, chicken or eggs.
Those that favor brain function, such as tuna, sardines, or anchovies, nuts, olive oil, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples, or green leafy vegetables.
Keep a healthy weight
Obesity or overweight are risk factors for hypertonia, since they put a greater load or hinder the correct mobility of muscles and joints.
To know If someone is overweight, the body mass index is used, a technique that is calculated by dividing the kg. times the square of the height in meters (BMI = weight / height [m2]).
Weight is considered normal when it is between . 5 and 24 .9, overweight when between 25 to 29, 9 and obesity when it exceeds 30.
Be active
The style sedentary consists of sitting or lying down for a long time , doing little or no exercise. This can be the cause of many chronic diseases, such as obesity, a risk factor for hypertonia.
Specialists advise frequent physical activity, preferably moderate intensity, to maintain muscle, bone and joint health.
It is important that before and after exercising you stretch or stretch, this way the muscles acquire greater flexibility and the risk of injury or stiffness is reduced.
Avoid overloads
When it is necessary to carry or move heavy objects, try to use the joints and bigger and stronger muscles. In this way, you will distribute the load over large surface areas and reduce stress on the smallest joints.
Avoid or limit tobacco and caffeine
Smokers or those who consume excess caffeine have a higher risk of suffering joint, bone and muscle injuries, as well as damage or problems in brain functions.
Treatments for hypertonia
If you have swelling , redness, tenderness or pain when trying to move the muscle, you should consult a professional as soon as possible.
In the case of hypertonia, a physical therapist can perform stretching and mobility sessions to alleviate the problem .
You can also recommend not moving the affected muscles to avoid discomfort or make the situation worse, and use over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB or others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), to relieve pain.
Sources consulted: US Library of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.