Muscle Tone

Normally muscle tone ( the readiness of muscles to move) changes according to the demands of the task.
Special consideration will be needed where muscle tone is exessively high or low.

If Muscle Tone Is Excessively High

The patient may have difficululty relaxing into the seat.

With these patients, who are commonly "rough" on any wheelchair components should be positioned so as to reduce the excessive tone. e.g. Hi[ps in flexion and LEs in abduction will tend to reduce pressure.

If Muscle Tone Is Excessively Low

patient may collapse like a "rag doll" and require gravity assisted sitting or tilt and recline to maintain an upright stance.