title: Spasticity or reversible muscle hypertonia?
abstract: The increase in resistance to passive muscle stretch in a paretic limb due to an upper motor neurone lesion is often referred to as muscle spasticity. However, this terminology is inaccurate and does not take into account the complex pathogenesis of the condition or describe the factors that contribute to the clinically observed changes in muscle tone. In this report we propose an alternative terminology and explain the reasons for doing so.
authors.affiliation: Moseley Hall Hospital, Birmingham B13 6JA, UK. magid.bakheit@bhamcommunity.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Abdel Magid O
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bakheit
authors.forename: Klemens
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fheodoroff
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Molteni
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis; D009122:Muscle Hypertonia / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis; D009626:Terminology as Topic