Comparison of 4 Types of Rigidity, Diagnoses, and Prevalence for Occupational Therapy

Rigidity Type	Description	Common Diagnoses	Prevalence
Lead Pipe Rigidity	Uniform resistance to passive movement throughout the range of motion	Parkinson’s disease, Parkinsonism	Common in Parkinson’s disease
Cogwheel Rigidity	Rhythmic interruption of passive movement, characterized by a jerky or ratchet-like feel	Parkinson’s disease, Parkinsonism	Common in Parkinson’s disease
Decorticate Rigidity	Increased tone and flexion of the upper extremities, with extension and external rotation of the lower extremities	Severe brain injury, stroke, cerebral palsy	Varies depending on the underlying condition
Decerebrate Rigidity	Increased tone and extension of both upper and lower extremities, typically with pronation and plantar flexion of the feet	Severe brainstem injury, brainstem lesions, meningitis	Less common compared to other rigidity types

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