02 Jun Been told that your child has low muscle tone but yet they seem stiff when you try to help them move

Been told that your child has low muscle tone but yet they seem stiff when you try to help them move
And in fact when you have a feel of their muscles, they feel quite tight

Did you know that children with low muscle tone can still have stiff tight muscles?
Here at My Favourite Physio, our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists see many babies and children with low muscle tone and delayed gross motor skills development. A common observation that parents make is that they notice that their child can get very stiff when they try to get baby to sit or stand or when little one grows older and walks they seem to be very stiff and robotic. In fact, parents would report that their toddlers often complain of leg pain and their muscles feel tight and stiff. Yet these parents have been told by their Paediatrician that their little one has low muscle tone. So who is right, parents or the Paediatrician?

In truth both the parents and Paediatrician are correct about little one’s muscle tone and muscle integrity. A little one can have low muscle tone and have tight stiff muscles at the same time.

One reason why baby can have both low muscle tone and stiff muscles is because a baby with low muscle tone tend to have weak tummy, back, leg and arm muscles which is why they struggle to sit upright or crawl or walk by themselves. Instinctively, baby will try to tighten up all their muscles to try to stay upright in sitting or to crawl or to walk. In doing so, over time, little one’s muscles become too tight and stiff. 

Another reason why baby can have both low muscle tone and stiff muscles is because of neurological conditions that can cause the muscles to make involuntary movements between sudden stiff movements to being floppy at other times. 

If you are concerned about your child’s movement patterns or muscle tone, it is best to speak to an Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists so that they can carry out a full assessment and help your child learn to move better. To speak to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists at My Favourite Physio, ring (02) 9790 4233 or DM us @myfavouritephysio today!