Spasticity management: an overview

Recent developments in therapeutic interventions for children with spasticity have complicated managerial decision making. A simplified paradigm for the pathophysiology of spasticity is presented, which emphasizes the ways in which treatment modalities disrupt hyperexcitable segmental spinal reflex arcs. Various techniques for the management of spasticity are reviewed, along with factors relevant to proper patient selection for therapeutic intervention. Potential goals for spasticity management are considered as are outcome measures for assessing the efficacy of these technologies.