Rhythmic, involuntary muscle contractions that occur rapidly in succession, often seen in seizures or as a neurological sign of disease.
From Greek klonos meaning 'turmoil,' 'tumult,' or 'agitation,' describing the turbulent, jerking nature of the muscle contractions.
Doctors test for clonus as a key neurological sign by striking the tendon below the kneecap and counting how many bounces the leg makes—more than 2-3 bounces can indicate a nervous system problem!
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