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Physiotherapy vocabulary · Neurological Rehabilitation

Spasticity

Meaning in physiotherapy, with examples

/spæˈstɪsəti/nounCommon term

In physiotherapy, spasticity means: Increased stiffness and tightness in muscles caused by damage to the brain or spinal cord, which gets stronger the faster the muscle is stretched.

In Turkish: spastisite

How it is used

Seen after stroke and spinal cord injury and in multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy. Physiotherapists assess it, often with the Modified Ashworth Scale, and manage it with positioning, stretching, splints and exercise, sometimes alongside medication. Use the noun about patients: the adjective 'spastic' is offensive when used about people.

Example sentences

  1. Spasticity in his calf is making it hard to put his heel on the floor.

  2. We measured elbow flexor spasticity with the Modified Ashworth Scale.

Common collocations

  • reduce spasticity
  • manage spasticity
  • Modified Ashworth Scale
  • upper limb spasticity
  • muscle toneThe natural level of tension in a resting muscle, felt as resistance when the physiotherapist moves a relaxed limb.
  • strokeDamage to part of the brain caused when its blood supply is blocked or a blood vessel bursts, often leading to weakness and problems with speech or balance.
  • hemiplegiaParalysis or severe weakness of one side of the body, most often caused by a stroke.
  • multiple sclerosisA long-term condition in which the immune system damages the protective covering of nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing symptoms such as fatigue, weakness and balance problems.

More terms: Neurological Rehabilitation

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.