Definition

A medical condition where there is too much tension or tone in the muscles, making them stiff and difficult to move.

Example

The patient was diagnosed with hypertonia, which affected their ability to walk properly.

Conversation

I was reading about hypertonia and how it affects muscle tone.

Oh really? What did you find out?

It said that people with hypertonia have excessive tension in their muscles.

That sounds tough; I can’t imagine how uncomfortable that must be.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Hypertonia is formed from "hyper-" (meaning over or excessive) and "tonia" (from Greek "tonos", meaning tension or tone). The word describes a condition of excessive muscle tone or tension.

Memory Tip

Think of 'hyper-' meaning excessive and 'tonia' relating to muscle tone — this helps you remember that hypertonia refers to a state of excessive muscle tension.

Visually Confused Words