Flaccidity
Pronunciation: FLAS-id-ih-tee
Abnormally reduced muscle tone, resulting in limp, unresisting limbs, typically associated with lower motor neuron lesions or the acute phase of central nervous system injury.
Full Definition
Flaccidity describes a state of diminished or absent muscle tone in which the affected muscles offer no resistance to passive movement and may feel soft or doughy on palpation. It commonly occurs after lower motor neuron injuries, peripheral nerve damage, or during the acute 'shock' phase following spinal cord or brain injury before tone increases. In physiatric rehabilitation, flaccidity is clinically distinguished from spasticity, which involves increased tone due to upper motor neuron pathology. Editors must not use 'flaccid' and 'hypotonic' interchangeably in all contexts, as hypotonia encompasses a broader range of conditions including those of central origin.
Usage
Usage note: Reserve for clinical tone descriptions. Do not use figuratively. Distinguish from hypotonia, which may have a broader aetiological scope.
In Context
- "During the acute phase post-injury, the physiatrist noted complete flaccidity in both lower extremities with absent deep tendon reflexes." — Acute spinal cord injury admission note
- "The term flaccidity should not be used as an antonym for rigidity in Parkinson's-related documentation, where the distinction carries different clinical meaning." — Editorial annotation