REPLY: I was glad to read Dr. Volker Dietz’s recent letter to the editor (Dietz 2007) comparing his work on spasticity in humans to my studies of spasticity in the sacral spinal rat (Bennett et al. 2004). His comments highlight many of the confusions that have shrouded the study of spasticity and give me a chance to clear the air on this topic. The first confusion relates to the complexity of s...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE There is no consensus concerning the number of patients developing spasticity or the relationship between spasticity and disabilities after acute stroke. The aim of the present study was to describe the extent to which spasticity occurs and is associated with disabilities (motor impairments and activity limitations). METHODS Ninety-five patients with first-ever stroke w...

Spasticity and stroke: pathophysiology and management rules 2 ARC Publishing in the rheological properties and in the contractile soft tissue and musculoskeletal system (intrinsic hypertonia) are often associated with chronic spasticity and, in turn have been associated with increased spasticity. Signs and symptoms of spasticity: Spasticity signs include muscle stiffness or spasm, muscle spasms...

Perhaps among the central nervous system (CNS) conditions with muscle hyperactivity, dystonia and spasticity figure as those that are disabling and requiring therapeutic intervention. Dystonia is a neurological syndrome characterized by sustained muscle contractions usually producing twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The sustained movements of dystonia may have overlying s...

Spasticity refers to an abnormal, velocity-dependent (i.e., how fast the joint is moved through its range) increase in muscle tone resulting from interruption of the neural circuitry regulating the muscles and is a common complication of cerebral palsy, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis and stroke. The muscle stretch reflex is thought to play an important role in spastici...

Stroke is the most common cause of disability in adults. leads to problems such as muscle spasticity, weakness, abnormal gait, and balance dysfunction. This study investigates immediate effect focal vibration plantar flexors on functional mobility stroke patients.

Spasticity treatment must be considered in relation to other impairments with functional goals defined prior to intervention. The effects of muscle co-contraction and involuntary limb movement associated with exaggerated cutaneous reflexes or effort as well as stretch reflex hyperexcitability need to be considered. Exacerbating factors such as pain must be identified. Physical therapy and conve...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of passive upper arm exercise on range of motion, muscle strength, and muscle spasticity in hemiplegic patients with cerebral vascular disease. METHODS A quasi-experimental design with nonequivalent control group was utilized. According to inclusion criteria, 25 patients were assigned to the control group with routine care, foll...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Spasticity is a frequently observed motor impairment that develops after stroke; it can cause pain and disability in those affected. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tizanidine, a centrally acting alpha(2)-adrenergic agonist, in the treatment of stroke-related spasticity. METHODS Forty-seven patients, who were a minimum of 6 ...