SpasticitySymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Spasticity
View Main Condition: Movement Disorders
Spasticity is stiff or rigid muscles. It may also be called unusual tightness or increased muscle tone. Reflexes (for example, a knee-jerk reflex) are stronger or exaggerated. The condition can interfere with walking, movement, speech, and many other activities of daily living.
Muscle stiffness; Hypertonia
Spasticity is often caused by damage to the part of the brain that is involved in movements under your control. It may also occur from damage to the nerves in the spinal cord.
Symptoms of spasticity include:
- Abnormal posture
- Limited, slow movements
- Carrying the shoulder, arm, wrist, and finger at an abnormal angle because of muscle tightness
- Exaggerated deep tendon reflexes (the knee-jerk or other reflexes)
- Repetitive jerky motions (clonus), especially when you are touched or moved
- Scissoring (crossing of the legs as the tips of scissors would close)
- Pain or deformity of the affected area of the body
Spasticity may also affect speech. Severe, long-term spasticity may lead to contracture of muscles. This can reduce range of motion or leave the joints bent.
Spasticity may be caused by any of the following:
- Brain damage caused by lack of oxygen, as can occur in near drowning or near suffocation
- Cerebral palsy (a group of disorders due to brain injury at birth)
- Cervical spinal stenosis
- Head injury
- Infections of brain or spinal cord (Lyme disease, syphilis, HIV, tuberculosis)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neurodegenerative illness (illnesses that damage the brain and nervous system over time)
- Phenylketonuria (a disorder in which the body can't break down the amino acid phenylalanine)
- Spinal cord injury
- Stroke
- Tumors in brain or spinal cord
- Toxins (for example, nitrous oxide or laughing gas)
- Vitamin or mineral deficiency (vitamin B12, vitamin E, copper)
This list does not include all conditions that can cause spasticity.
Exercise, including muscle stretching, can help make symptoms less severe. Physical therapy is also helpful.
Contact your health care provider if:
- The spasticity gets worse
- You notice deformity of the affected areas
Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms, including:
- When was it first noticed?
- How long has it lasted?
- Is it always present?
- How severe is it?
- Which muscles are affected?
- What makes it better?
- What makes it worse?
- What other symptoms are present?
After determining the cause of your spasticity, your provider may refer you to a physical therapist. Physical therapy involves different exercises, including muscle stretching and strengthening exercises. Physical therapy exercises can be taught to parents who can then help their child do them at home.
Other treatments may include:
- Medicines to treat spasticity. These need to be taken as instructed.
- Botulinum toxin that can be injected into the spastic muscles.
- A pump used to directly deliver medicine into the spinal fluid and nervous system, in rare cases.
- Surgery to release the tendon or to cut the nerve-muscle pathway is sometimes used.
Michigan Institute For Neurological Disorders (MIND)
Edward Dabrowski is a Physiatrist practicing medicine in Roseville, Michigan. He has been practicing medicine for over 46 years. Dr. Dabrowski is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Spasticity. He is also highly rated in 30 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Cerebral Palsy, Spasticity, Spastic Diplegia Infantile Type, and Moebius Syndrome. Dr. Dabrowski is board certified in American Board Of Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation. Dr. Dabrowski is currently accepting new patients.
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
Francois Bethoux is a Physiatrist practicing medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Bethoux is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Spasticity. He is also highly rated in 26 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Spasticity, Hemiplegia, Paraplegia, Spastic Paraplegia Type 7, and Thalamotomy.
UPMC Department Of Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation
Michael Munin, MD, is a physiatrist and is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and electrodiagnostic medicine. He is the EMG co-medical director at UPMC Presbyterian and is a professor and vice chair for strategic planning and program development for PM&R at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, with secondary appointments in the departments of rehabilitation science and technology and otolaryngology. He also directs the spasticity and prosthetic rehabilitation clinics at UPMC Presbyterian. Dr. Munin received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and completed his residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, followed by his fellowship at Research Enrichment for Physiatrists. Dr. Munin is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Spasticity. He is also highly rated in 4 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Spasticity, Hemiplegia, Mononeuritis Multiplex, Moebius Syndrome, and Leg or Foot Amputation. Dr. Munin is board certified in American Board Of Electrodiagnostic Medicine and American Board Of Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation. Dr. Munin is currently accepting new patients.
Objective: Human T-lymphotropic virus type-I-associated myelopathy / tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a rare neurologic disorder that affects less than 5% of patients infected with the HTLV-I virus. The purpose of this protocol is to study the natural history of HAM/TSP by monitoring clinical progression of patients longitudinally. Additionally, we will attempt to define the virological and immunolo...
Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a new therapy approach to improve walking ability in children with Cerebral Palsy is acceptable to the children and the families in a community setting. The main questions we look to answer are: 1. Do the children/teens tolerate the therapy and feel that it is helpful? 2. Do the parents/ families feel the therapy helps and is easy to commit to? 3. Do ...
Published Date: February 11, 2025
Published By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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McGee S. Examination of the motor system: approach to weakness. In: McGee S, ed. Evidence-Based Physical Diagnosis. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 61.
Oleszek JC, Davidson LT. Spasticity. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 752.