upper limb tone

Last reviewed 01/2018

When examining the upper limb neurologically, the tone is tested in both the wrists and the elbows with flexion and extension of these joints.

The examiner must look for:

  • cog-wheel rigidity - parkinsonism
  • hypertonicity - upper motor neurone or extrapyramidal lesion
  • hypotonicity - lower motor neurone lesion