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clonus
This term is a specialized medical descriptor used primarily in neurology to describe a specific type of muscle spasm. It conveys a sense of mechanical, repetitive oscillation, distinguishing it from a tonic spasm, which is a sustained contraction, or a simple twitch. It is almost exclusively used in clinical settings, such as during a physical exam to test for upper motor neuron lesions.
As a technical Latinate term, it functions as an uncountable noun in most clinical contexts, referring to the phenomenon of the rhythmic movement rather than individual instances of the spasm. While it can be pluralized in rare academic discussions regarding different types of clonus, it typically does not take a plural form in standard patient charting.
Meanings
A series of involuntary, rhythmic, muscular contractions and relaxations.
The patient exhibited ankle clonus during the neurological examination.
Examples
The patient exhibited ankle clonus during the neurological examination.
The patient exhibited ankle clonus during the neurological examination.
The physician noted the presence of clonus as a sign of upper motor neuron lesion.
I can see the rhythmic oscillations of clonus in the calf muscle.
The sudden onset of clonus suggests a significant change in the spinal cord pathology.
He wondered if the clonus would subside once the medication took effect.
The nurse reported that the patient's clonus had become more pronounced overnight.
Rapidly dorsiflexing the foot can trigger a clonus response in some patients.