tenda Health

Most stroke survivors are familiar with spasticity. In layman’s terms, spasticity means having muscles that feel tight and are hard to move, without you meaning to do so. Moreover, the resistance to movement increases as you try to move faster. Spasticity can be painful and seriously limit your mobility.

Spasticity predominantly affects the hands and wrists of stroke patients. If you don’t do range-of-motion exercises, flexion contracture might rapidly develop. This means that your hand or wrist will be permanently bent, causing you pain and trouble with personal hygiene. Therefore it’s crucial to do these (JROM) exercises several times each day. A splint for your hand or wrist could be beneficial, especially during nighttime

Now, the knee can particularly become a troublemaker here. If your knee extensors (the muscles that straighten your knee) become even slightly spastic, they can lock your knee during standing or even cause it to bend the wrong way, which we medically term as ‘genu recurvatum’. Don’t panic, though! A smart solution is a knee brace fitted with an extension stop together with exercises (including balance, PNF and strengthening). It’s like giving your knee a helping hand.

Another problematic part is your foot drop at ankle joint. Rwsults due to autonomic resistance applied to the spastic muscles responsible for pointing your toes downward- causing something called ankle clonus by medics – a series of involuntary rhythmic contractions and relaxations. A short leg brace without a spring mechanism can help tackle this issue.

Heat or cold therapy can play a helper’s role by reducing spasticity temporarily, making it easier for you to stretch your muscles. Although benzodiazepines might be given to stroke patients to reduce anxiety during rehabilitation, they aren’t really effective against spasticity over the long term. Medications like Methocarbamol have restricted value in relieving spasticity and may lead to sedation.

Understanding and dealing with post-stroke spasticity can feel overwhelming and complex. But remember, there are various strategies the right resources, including this supportive community to help you navigate this tough journey. Keep fighting!

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