Hypotonic refers to which of the following?

• A. Increased muscle tone
• B. Decreased muscle tone
• C. Normal muscle tone
• D. Fluctuating muscle tone

Answer: (B)

Hypotonia means decreased muscle tone—the baseline tension in muscles is lower than normal, so the muscles feel softer and offer less resistance to passive movement. This reduced tone means joints move more easily when someone moves them without the person actively contracting the muscles.

That’s why the description of decreased muscle tone is the best fit. Increased muscle tone describes hypertonia (greater resistance to movement), normal tone is typical baseline, and fluctuating tone implies inconsistent resistance. Clinically, reduced tone can arise from various CNS or peripheral origins and is often noticed in infants as a floppy, less supportive posture, but the core idea is simply lower-than-normal muscle tension.