Sometimes this is called tone, which sounds so benign.
I consider spasticity the largest reason I am having a hard time recovering. My bicep is firing most of the time so instead of my arm hanging straight by my side it is slightly bent. This causes my hand to bang into my crotch when I walk. Sometimes known as the 'dead brain look' Freehand reaching for something is almost impossible because my biceps tenses up preventing me from reaching forward. I'm not sure I have enough brain power to handle two things at once. Telling one set of muscles to relax while telling the opposing pair to extend. If I didn't have to control spasticity first I know I would be able to neuroplastcally move the actual movement to another location in my brain. I am not paralyzed enough to easily recover. If you really want to get irritated google William M. Landau and see what he thinks about the usefulness of spasticity.
I agree- me too .Spasticity is an ARSE!
ReplyDeleteIt's a huge problem for me too! It's also very painful, especially in my left leg. In my case it's got a lot to do with anxiety. At home my walk is quite well, but when I get outside I almost freeze. I've read a lot of books by Louise Hay and Deepak Chopra, because the mind-body connection is so obvious in my case. Before my brain exploded I was sexy and felt good about myself, now I feel disabled and ugly, so I often choose to hide inside my home.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried Botox? It worked very well for me in my clawing foot.
ReplyDeleteGood information Dean. My stroke was in the same location as yours, except mine was hemorrhagic. My spasticity is extremely weather sensitive; cold or rain turns up the dial. During the worst of winter weather, my left shoulder joint and ribs feel like they are being pulled out of my body by my chest, shoulder and arm muscles, and I walk stiff-legged because of the rigidity of my quads and hamstring. Thankfully, though, when it gets warmer, the muscles relax to the point that I almost return to normal. Are you familiar with this phenomenon?
ReplyDeleteCold causes me to walk by swinging my leg like a log. If our stroke associations or therapists were any good they would be working on this. Alas, they aren't
DeleteI have called that my peg-leg walk. Cold can cause it but also fatigue. I don't feel muscle fatigue like pre-stroke if I worked out. Instead, my signal of fatigue is when I subconsciously stiffen the muscles I'm attempting to use. I assume I am doing this due to paranoia the muscle is going to fail and I'll fall.
DeleteCold(er) weather as well as general tiredness kicks in the spasticity. My left leg feels like it grows 2-3 " and when I walk it's as if someone has duct taped a long 2x6 to my leg causing me to walk like a peg legged pirate or penguin.
DeleteAs I get tired my left arm ratchets(curls) up tighter & tighter. Only in early morning when I first roll out of bed is the arm & hand semi rigid. At that moment to I try exercises which take advantage of semi rigidity.
-ConcreteTim