The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Spinal Cord Injury Spasticity: Towards a Better Diagnosis and Targeted Treatment Strategy (original) (raw)

Biosystems & Biorobotics, 2013

Abstract

Spasticity is an important sensorimotor disorder that affects between 65-78% of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Although the standard diagnosis of spasticity relies on the standard measurement of hypertonia and stretch hyperreflexia, these symptoms are often described by patients as beneficial and may only play a limited role in motor dysfunction. In contrast related spasticity signs, such as involuntary muscle contractions (spasms) and cutaneous long-latency hyperreflexia, may be more problematic for residual motor function and general daily activities. As such there is a real need to characterize the impact of the symptoms of spasticity on neurological, functional, and daily activity during SCI rehabilitation. In this lecture the diagnostic utility of cutaneous hyperreflexia during both active and passive movement, as a possible hallmark of SCI spasticity will be discussed, in addition to its tractability to novel pharmacological and sensory neurorehabilitative strategies designed to modulate this specific sign of motor dysfunction.

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