The movements that are symptomatic of movement disorders can vary greatly. In general, they may be classified as hyperkinetic or hypokinetic.

Hyperkinetics are exaggerated, unintended or uncontrolled movements. Some varieties of hyperkinetics include the following:

• Chorea and athetosis. Athetosis is slow, writhing, nearly continuous movements in the muscles farthest from body core (distal muscles). Chorea is rapid, jerky motions of the facial and limb muscles. In many cases, the two occur together.
  
  
• Dystonia. Slow change in normal posture of one or more joints that may occur in conjunction with athetosis.
  
  
• Tics. Involuntary muscular or vocal spasms that occur faster than athetosis or dystonia. In most cases, a patient experiences tics in the same area of the body, but they can also be more general. Examples of tics include blinking, clearing throat, facial twitching, grunting, shrugging shoulders and sighing.
  
  
• Hemiballismus. Rapid, irregular muscle jerking that cannot be controlled by the patient. Severe forms of hemiballismus may involve sudden flinging of an arm or leg.
  
  
• Myoclonus. Sudden rapid, brief, irregular movement of many parts of the body at one time. There are also uncommon forms of myoclonus that are characterized by rhythmic movements.
  
  
• Tremors. Rhythmic shaking. There are three types of tremors. One form most frequently occurs at rest. A second type, postural tremors, are strongest when holding a limb against gravity, such as when holding an arm straight out from the body. Intention tremor is the third type and occurs in conjunction with voluntary movement (e.g., when trying to write or pick something up).  

In contrast to the hyperkinetic movements, hypokinetic movements are slower than the patient intended or they do not occur at all. They may also be referred to as akinesia (lack of movement) or bradykinesia (slow movement). One of the most severe forms of hypokinetic movement is paralysis, which is the inability to move muscles and may also involve loss of sensation. Ataxia is also a type of hypokinesis that prevents patients from responding to verbal commands to move.