Abnormal Finding

Be aware, that limitation of muscle power could be due to joint disease.

• Bulk and Asymmetry
  • Hypertrophy
    • Dominant side
    • Hypertrophic muscular dystrophy
  • Atrophy/wasting
    • Non-specific wasting of muscles: (Disuse, Rheumatoid arthritis, malnutrition, malignancy, chronic infections)
• Power
  • Weakness
    • Generalized or Symmetric
      • Malnutrition
      • Lower motor neurone
    • Focal or Asymmetric
      • Hemiparesis
      • Hemiplegia
      • Motor nerve
• Tone
  • Hypotonia(Flaccidity):(Cerebellar disease, Muscle disease, Reflex arc interruption)
  • Hypertonia(spasticity)
    • Clasp knife: (Upper motor neurone disease) Initial resistance suddenly dicreasing.
    • Lead pipe: (parkinsonism) Constant resistance.
    • Cogwheel: (Parkinsonism)Constant resistance with ratchety feeling due to addition of tremors.
    • Hysterical:
    • Dystonia: (Major Tranquilizers)
• Involuntary movements
  • Fasciculations: Fine flickering irregular movements in muscle (Lower motor neurone disease)
  • Dystonia: Movements similar to Athetosis involving larger portions of body. (Major Tranquilizers)
  • Myoclonus: Sudden rapid brief kerks involving limbs and trunk. (Normal, CNS disorders)

Ref:

1. Neuroscience, pp 146-8.