RT Book, Section A1 Saulino, Michael A1 Goldman, Liat A2 Maitin, Ian B. A2 Cruz, Ernesto SR Print(0) ID 1105127018 T1 Spasticity T2 CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation YR 2015 FD 2015 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071793292 LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1105127018 RD 2024/10/11 AB Spasticity is a commonly encountered condition that can have a devastating impact on affected patients. Lance described it as “a motor disorder characterized by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes with exaggerated tendon reflexes, resulting from excitability of the stretch reflex.” It can also be defined as the constant and unwanted contractions of one or more muscle groups as a result of an injury or insult to the brain or spinal cord. The condition can be mild, with patients experiencing only minor discomfort or inconvenience, or major, with the spasticity leading to immobility and the development of contractures and pressure sores. However, clinicians must use caution when applying such descriptors of severity to muscle overactivity so as not to misrepresent their clinical impact to the patient. For example, relatively slight resistance to passive motion, evaluated as “mild” by a physician, may have a quite significant functional impact for a patient, who might describe the same phenomenon as “severe.” Even mild degrees of spasticity can impair the ability to perform basic activities of daily living, including hygiene, dressing, and toileting. In addition, spasms associated with spasticity can cause pain, interrupt sleep, negatively influence mood, and impair mobility.