How can we improve current practice in spastic paresis?

Abstract

Spastic paresis can arise from a variety of conditions, including stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and hereditary spastic paraplegia. It is associated with muscle contracture, stiffness and pain, and can lead to segmental deformity. The positive, negative and biomechanical symptoms associated with spastic paresis can significantly affect patients’ quality of life, by affecting their ability to perform normal activities. This paper – based on the content of a global spasticity interdisciplinary masterclass presented by the authors for healthcare practitioners working in the field of spastic paresis – proposes a multidisciplinary approach to care involving not only healthcare practitioners, but also the patient and their family members/carers, and improvement of the transition between specialist care and community services. The suggested treatment pathway comprises assessment of the severity of spastic paresis, early access to neurorehabilitation and physiotherapy and treatment with botulinum toxin and new technologies, where appropriate. To address the challenge of maintaining patients’ motivation over the long term, tailored guided self-rehabilitation contracts can be used to set and monitor therapeutic goals. Current global consensus guidelines may have to be updated, to include a clinical care pathway related to the encompassing management of spastic paresis.