Irregular movements resembling athetosis or tremor, often with abnormal postures that limit voluntary movement and can be painful, are characteristic of which movement disorder?

• A. Dystonia
• B. Athetosis
• C. Chorea
• D. Tics

Answer: (C)

Irregular, rapid, involuntary movements that dance from one muscle group to another and are not produced in a fixed pattern define chorea. These movements disrupt normal voluntary control and can lead to awkward postures as the body tries to compensate, and the sustained activity can be painful due to muscle fatigue and misalignment. This pattern stands apart from dystonia, which involves sustained contractions causing fixed or twisting postures; athetosis describes slower, writhing movements; and tics are brief, stereotyped, and often suppressible. Therefore, the described findings—the irregular, nonrhythmic movements with postural disruption that can be painful—fit chorea most closely.