Which term best describes decreased muscle tone with reduced resistance to passive stretch, as described in the material?

• A. Hypotonia
• B. Hypertonia
• C. Spasticity
• D. Rigidity

Answer: (A)

Hypotonia is the term that fits a description of decreased muscle tone with reduced resistance to passive stretch. It means the muscle feels “floppy” and offers little resistance when you move it gently or passively. This contrasts with hypertonia, where there is more resistance to movement. Among hypertonia types, spasticity is velocity-dependent (resistance increases with faster stretches), and rigidity is a constant, uniform increase in tone not tied to movement speed. So when the description emphasizes low tone and little resistance to passive movement, hypotonia is the best label.