ABSTRACT
The muscle stiffness of spasticity, often with associated spasms, is an extremely common symptom seen in many neurological conditions, including head or spinal cord injury, stroke, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis. It is also a significant feature in a number of rarer conditions, such as hereditary spastic paraparesis. Due to the diversity of causes, it is a problem faced by many people of all ages and backgrounds. Several of these disorders predominantly affect young adults or are lifelong conditions, in contrast to stroke, which is predominantly a disorder of
older age. It is therefore essential that all health workers, whether based in hospitals or in the community, be equipped with a degree of understanding of spasticity and its appropriate management. Continuity of care and knowledge, particularly across the interfaces of primary and secondary care as well as community rehabilitation teams and care agencies, is invaluable.
