A muscle that is overly tense or tight during movement is described as which term?

• A. Underactive
• B. Overactive
• C. Repetitive movement
• D. Postural distortion patterns

Answer: (B)

A muscle that stays overly tense or tight during movement is described as overactive. When a muscle is overactive, it tends to be shortened and contracted more than is ideal, which can limit range of motion and pull joints into less optimal alignment. This imbalance often pairs with an underactive (weak or inhibited) opposing muscle, reinforcing the pattern. The other terms don’t fit because repetitive movement describes how often a movement is performed, and postural distortion patterns refer to broader body alignment compensations rather than a single tight muscle; underactive describes the opposite condition (weak, lengthened) rather than tight.