Which sign characterizes acute somatic dysfunction in the skin?

• A. Warm, moist, red, inflamed skin
• B. Cool, pale, and dry skin
• C. Long-standing contractures
• D. Muscle hard, ropy, and nonresilient

Answer: (A)

In acute somatic dysfunction, the skin shows inflammatory changes from increased blood flow and edema. Warmth, moisture, and redness reflect active inflammation and vasodilation, so skin that is warm, moist, red, and inflamed is the best match for an acute state. The other descriptions align with non-acute or non-skin findings: cool, pale, dry skin suggests reduced perfusion or chronic changes; long-standing contractures indicate chronic, structural alterations; and muscle that is hard, ropy, and nonresilient points to chronic muscle texture changes rather than acute skin findings.