Document Type : Review Articles

Author

• Ehsan Ghasemi

PhD Student, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran AND Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Spasticity, a neurological problem secondary to an up permotor neuron lesion, has a significant effect on skeletal muscle. The upper motor neuron lesions may be secondary to a cerebral vascular accident, head injury, spinal cord injury, or degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, or perinatal brain injuries such as cerebral palsy. Function alability in these patients can be severely compromised but the basic mechanisms underlying these deficits are not clearly understood. In this review we evaluate the current evidence in the literature that suggests that skeletal muscle tissue itself is altered in spastic conditions. Experimental studies were evaluated that included a variety of methods encompassing joint mechanics, tissue mechanics, and muscle morphology.

Keywords

• Upper motor neuron lesion
• Spasticity
• Skeletal muscle