It is caused when a muscle loses elasticity.
If a muscle cannot move and be stretched, the nearby joints also lose mobility and become painful.
Sarcomeres are fundamental units of muscles that cause muscle fibers to contract.
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With muscle contractures, sarcomeres overly lengthen when muscle fibers tighten.
This increase in sarcomere length prevents the muscle from contracting normally, resulting in muscle weakness.
Muscle contractures also form from a decrease in satellite cells.
When these signals are weakened or blocked, muscles become stiff and weak due to a lack of stimulation.
Cerebral palsyis a group of disorders affecting mobility that are due to an upper motor neuron lesion.
Cerebral palsy is present at birth and is the most common motor disability in children.
Specific genes linked to collagen production are also altered, causing irregular changes to the extracellular matrix of muscles.
Muscular Dystrophy
Muscular dystrophyis a group of inherited neuromuscular disorders characterized by muscle weakness and wasting.
This results in weakness, increased muscle tightness and stiffness, and muscle wasting, called atrophy.
Over time, stiff and tight muscles can progress to contractures that become very difficult to stretch.
This development significantly restricts movement.
Large burns also can cause contractures of the skin, muscles, and joints.
Without aggressive treatment, range of motion can become significantly limited, and these changes can become irreversible.
Exercise also improves blood flow and activates muscles, which helps prevent contractures from forming.
Tight muscles can be surgically cut and tendons can be lengthened to allow for more mobility.
Summary
Muscle contracture causes muscles to become tight and difficult to move and stretch.
Delaying treatment can potentially cause irreversible symptoms.
