ABSTRACT
Pain is a common feature of people suffering spasticity following a lesion of the central nervous system (CNS). Spasticity has been described as “a disorder of the sensorimotor system characterised by a velocity-dependent increase in muscle tone with exaggerated tendon jerks resulting from hyperexcitability of the stretch reflex as one component of the upper motor neuron syndrome (UMNS).” The UMNS is the result of the changes to the normal functioning motor system following lesions to the CNS. Focal or regional spasticity typically results from cerebral origin. This refers to spasticity primarily affecting one limb, for example upper limb with the flexion/pronation/adduction patterning described above or lower limb with the extension/adduction patterning. General spasticity typically results from spinal origin UMNS. It depends on the level of the spinal cord lesion. Spasticity, particularly cerebral origin spasticity, will often result in abnormal posturing, most usually with flexion/pronation/adduction of the upper limb and extension/adduction of the lower limb.
