Which type of cerebral palsy is characterized by muscle stiffness?

The type of cerebral palsy characterized by muscle stiffness is spastic cerebral palsy. This condition involves increased muscle tone or rigidity, leading to stiff and restricted movement. In spastic cerebral palsy, the spastic muscles result from damage to the motor cortex or the pathways connecting the motor cortex to the muscles. This damage leads to involuntary muscle contractions and can affect limbs on one side of the body (hemiplegia) or both sides (diplegia or quadriplegia).

Spasticity can manifest in different ways, such as difficulty with coordination, problems with balance, and challenges in executing voluntary movements because the stiff muscles can interfere with fluid motion. This type is the most common form of cerebral palsy, making up a significant percentage of cases.

In contrast, ataxic cerebral palsy is characterized by issues with balance and coordination but does not typically involve excessive muscle stiffness. Hypotonic cerebral palsy involves reduced muscle tone, resulting in floppiness rather than stiffness. Athetoid cerebral palsy features involuntary, continuous movements and fluctuations in muscle tone, leading to difficulties in control of muscle movements but not specifically characterized by stiffness. Each of these forms has distinct features that differentiate them from spastic cerebral palsy