Stiffness - Question 1
Q: Even though I have got some movement back, I can''t use my arm because it feels so stiff. The physio says this is due to ''spasticity''. What is it and what treatment can I have for it?
A: Spasticity is the medical term for muscles that are abnormally stiff. Initially after a stroke your muscles will be floppy (flaccid) as well as weak. Within a few days after the stroke, even if no strength has returned, the muscles usually start to stiffen. Several factors can make the stiffness worse: If your body is kept in the wrong positions for a long time either in bed or when you are sitting in a chair. If you try to do everything with your unaffected side, this can cause the stiffness to increase on the paralysed side. If you are uncomfortable or in pain. If you develop any other medical problems, such as an infection. It is very important that the stiffness of your muscles is not allowed to become too severe, because if the muscles are very stiff it will become very difficult for you to move them once your strength starts returning. Within a few minutes of starting a treatment session, a skilled physiotherapist can reduce stiffness in muscles by getting your posture right and manipulating your limbs. It is important that the physiotherapist tells the nurses about how you should be moved and positioned correctly. If the stiffness is not treated early, the joints and muscles can get so stiff that it becomes impossible for anyone to move the joint - a contracture. Once this has happened, it is quite difficult to get the joint functioning again.
