Neural and non-neural related properties in the spastic wrist flexors: An optimization study

Spasticity is a motor disorder that is commonly seen in many neurological disorders. It is clinically defined as a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflex with exaggerated tendon jerks, resulting from hyper-excitability of the stretch reflex [1]. In current practice, spasticity is commonly measured subjectively by rotating a joint and estimating the resistance according to an ordinal scale, such as the Modified Ashworth Score (MAS) [2]. Previous reports indicate that the intrinsic mechanical properties of the muscle and tendon may also be altered secondary to spasticity, and may thereby also contribute to the increased joint resistance [3,4].

Source: Medical Engineering and Physics - July 7, 2017 Category: Biomedical Engineering Authors: R. Wang, P. Herman, Ö. Ekeberg, J. Gäverth, A. Fagergren, H. Forssberg Source Type: research