Low muscle tone?

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I've noticed many criteria include low muscle tone for autism or AS, this is maybe the one symptom that is obviously not psychological. What is the theorized cause of this?

Though this may be a generalization and won't apply for all, the idea is that those with AS, particularly the males, are less physically active than their NT counterparts.

And it's not just about an exercise routine. During childhood and adolescence, many NTs play group sports. In addition to building muscle tone due to the physical activity, they also form bonds and work together.

Since those with AS tend to have poor coordination, and lack the social stamina to be successful at team sports, they usually avoid team sports like the plague. (Think stereotypical nerd who sucks at gym class.)

So one of the ramifications is less muscle tone. And since this happens when the human body is rapidly growing and developing, it usually impacts the body after maturation.

But on a side note, this may also tie into why those with AS tend to look much younger for their age. Less muscle tone usually means a more youthful/boyish appearance.

Interesting... I definitely have low muscle tone. And even being in weight class (corrective gym) as a teenager, I never really developed it. I did tons of hiking and bicycling, so my legs, especially my calves, had some tone. But my chest and arms have never been very toned. I have blah physique.

And I definitely look young for my age. Most everyone acts stunned when they find out I'm 50. "No way LOL you're only like what, 35?" I've even had to show my drivers license to the more skeptical to prove I wasn't pulling their leg. Guys my age hate my guts because of it

Last edited by briankelley on 02 Apr 2013, 3:59 am, edited 3 times in total.

I don't think this is required criteria. I definitely DON'T have it, nor do many aspies I know. One girl, in particular, is a pedi cabber in Austin with wicked legs I wouldn't want to anger.

I was homeschooled and never played team sports either. So I don't think that has anything to do with it. More NT propaganda that environment causes everything (and that, therefore, all individual failings should be blamed on individuals themselves or their parents; similarly, I hate hearing that "you must played video games as a kid because your [fine motor skills] are s**t"). This analytical framework has largely been debunked by modern science. That whole competitive sports propaganda is kind of irritating and absurd as well.

Many aspies have low muscle tone due to genetic factors or erratic eating habits, but probably just genetic factors (I have erratic eating habits and am capable of being a fat ass unless I exercise). Perhaps diet and food sensitivity is related too. Unsure.

Um, no.... especially since this "looks younger" applies to women on the spectrum too. It's definitely not due to muscle tone.

But do you yourself have low muscle tone?

Genetically, you have the potential to be a "fat ass," so you consciously choose to exercise, which increases your muscle tone and also prevents you from getting too fat.

But for those Aspies who don't have your genetic predisposition to being fat, exercise isn't as crucial for controlling weight.

So they don't need to exercise as much as you may have to, and as a result may have decrease muscle tone (without any weight issues).



Oh, well, then it's settled. If you say there's no correlation whatsoever, well, who am I to disagree?

I think it's situational, I do avoid sports and groups of all sorts like the plague but I've always had good body tone from being a farm boy and working for my family on the farm. I do however have the looking younger then you are thing going on.. I'm 23 and I could pass off as a freakin teen ager. I don't feel my age anyway so it's not a horrible thing I guess.

I have good muscle tone even when I don't exercise. Just lots of fat on top of it. I have big biceps all the time. The one place I have horrific muscle tone is the ab area, but so do a lot of guys. I am not huge but have a swimmer's body with the propensity to get quite fat (being prone to binge eating and skipping meals does not help).

I think the "looking younger" tends to apply to facial features, not muscle tone. This is because many 80-year-olds are very skinny and have low muscle tone. This does not mean they look young for their age. The women I'm talking about--who may or may not have low muscle tone but have a body type just like ordinary women-- look young for their age as well.

I can't remember if my medical records say I have low muscle tone or not. I was uncoordinated as a child but I still did sports, rode my bike, and I loved PE. When I got to middle school I started to dislike it because they get rid of all the fun stuff and it's all sports now you do. I liked things like traffic jam, crab soccer, floor hockey, circle tag, what time is it mister fox, clean out the back yard, tennis with balloons instead of using birdies or tennis balls. They made it all fun in elementary school.

But I could never do push ups or pull myself up on bars or do one of those wall peg things. I am just not strong enough.

I have done walking on a tread mill before and go for walks when it's nice out. I find the more I walk, the further I can walk without my legs getting tired but when I stop doing it, then i have to start over and get my body stronger again so my legs don't tire out as sooner and I can walk further again.

I have low muscle tone. it makes it dificult for me to walk on slopes.

I have issues with this, I took personal fitness in high school PE to avoid most of the team sports in the other class, I maybe bench pressed 60lbs, even the 40lb bar with no weights tired me out. I could never do the bar pull ups or do a proper push up. PE was always a very hard and embarissing time for me. I have pretty much written off taking any real physical employment becouse combined with my clumsyness i'm very slow, struggle and ineffecent. I can't say I exercise however I do have some hobbies and daily actitives that require physical work so I should not be that out of shape, I have recently lost some weight from it after all.

I believe that the "low muscle tone" thing in reference to AS does not refer to musculature, but rather hypotonia, which is more of a neurological condition where your muscles do not automatically tense up as much as they should. However, low musculature also seems to be very common in males with AS. I think a large part of that is because AS males don't tend to play sports very much due to poor coordination and clumsiness.

Here we go with the "didn't play competitive sports as a child" nonsense. Or currently? How many NT's do? I've had all sorts of things blamed on that; it wasn't muscle tone, but there were other things, like poor driving skills and even test anxiety.

American NT macho males tend to use this phrase as a way to demean others in order to establish a social hierarchy.

If one actually thought about it sensibly, however, one would realize that what we do as children is highly unlikely to affect CURRENT muscle tone years or decades later. If you have bad muscle tone, decades after leaving childhood, it means either (1) it is genetic or (2) you're a couch potato. I seriously fail to see how what one did or did not do as a child has any effect on your body type decades into the future.

I did not play sports as a child probably more due to lack of verbal communication skills rather than to lack of muscle tone. And I think my current muscle tone is just fine.

My thoughts are that it's caused more by co-existing ADHD symptoms, or that the same symptoms in AS are caused by the same dopamine deficiency that causes them in ADHD. Poor coordination, poor motor skills, fatiguing easily etc = not doing a lot of physical activity & thus not building muscle mass for it. Pop a stimulant drug for ADHD, release some dopamine, and I have plenty more coordination, better motor skills, & strength and stamina to carry on doing things for a whole heck of a lot longer - well enough to build a lot more muscle mass a lot easier.

Muscle tone has nothing to do with what you do or don't. I did sports all my life, I have low muscle tone (it is visible in the face, cheeks...)

It has nothing to do with playing sports. IT's the 21st century most kids these days have a very inactive life.

I've played way more sports than most of my nt friends, it's not at all the cause.

It's body posture, which shouldn't come to no surprise.

Most aspies have severely under developed glutes, abs, chest, and tricep muscles.

It's a product of an awkward gate, and reduced integration of your muscular system. Muscular strength is in part a product of sensory interaction, so anyone with sensory integration will have issues with developing muscle tone. Most kinetic movements can be done with just a few muscle groups, but for peak development it's best to harness the strength of the full body.

Since this issue has come to my attention, I"ve been able to double my functional strength. With in a period of weeks, not months. Going to a gym it appears is absolutely crucial for aspies, it's by far the most effective reducer of anxiety, and the best way to prevent injury.

Anyhow I strongly suggest you look into some of the research of human factors engineering and ergonomics, as it's the best way to intellectually understanded an instinctual process(one we lack).

I'd be a dynamo if I weren't so dang lazy. I'm one of those guys who builds muscle pretty easily. If I could somehow put together an Olympic set-up (you know, a lifting platform, set of bumper plates, etc.) in my garage I would have it made. I used to live just down the street from a weight room but now I can't get to one.