Spasticity.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Spasticity management necessitates a collaborative, team-based approach involving patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.
• Identifying specific functional limitations caused by spasticity is crucial for effective treatment planning.
• Traditional therapies are common but may not suffice for all patients with spasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline a comprehensive, team-driven strategy for managing spasticity.
• To review various treatment modalities for spasticity, including their indications and limitations.

Main Methods:

• Review of established and emerging treatment modalities for spasticity.
• Emphasis on a multidisciplinary team approach for personalized care planning.
• Consideration of patient-specific functional goals and realistic outcome expectations.

Main Results:

• Botulinum toxin injections are a safe and effective first-line treatment for focal spasticity when therapy yields limited results.
• Oral medications may have limited benefits in focal spasticity due to dose-limiting side effects.
• Intrathecal baclofen and surgery are options for refractory spasticity unresponsive to other interventions.

Conclusions:

• Effective spasticity management requires coordinated care from a multidisciplinary team.
• Treatment selection should be individualized based on the specific components of spasticity affecting function.
• Open communication and realistic patient expectations are vital for successful spasticity management outcomes.