title: Muscular tension and psychopathology. A comparison of four psychopathological groups by general physiotherapeutic examination of muscular tension.
abstract: From 1968 to 1970, 136 test patients divided in four groups have been examined by general physiotherapeutic muscle tension examination. Group 1 were psychotic patients, group 2 were neurotic patients, and both groups were inpatients in a psychiatric hospital. Group 3 were ambulant patients at a physical institute and group 4 were healthy control persons. Each group was examined by five different, independent clinical muscle tension investigations: (1) examination of posture when standing and lying supine; (2) examination of respiration standing and lying supine; (3) examination of resistance to passive movements; (4) examination of muscle elasticity on palpation, and (5) examination of the patients reaction to the palpation. Altogether 47 variables were investigated, and of these 34 gave results which were statistically significant. This study confirms that there is a systematic connection between muscle tension and psychic conditions and the physiotherapeutic muscle tension investigation can contribute to diagnosing the degree of psychopathology and could be an aid in the selection of treatment. It is of interst to find out whether there is a connection between tension of the skeletal muscles on the one side and psychopathology on the other. A possible connection between the two might open the door for a comprehensive understanding of somatical and psychological illnesses, and offer the possibility for a more concise and direct treatment.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009129:Muscle Tonus; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010173:Palpation; D011187:Posture; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012119:Respiration