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@Albertaguy 

Last reply

Albertaguy

Spasticity?

I was diagnosed in 2015. I stretch and exercise 5 times per week usually 2 days on an recumbent bike and 3 days full body weight workout. I am struggling with stiffness in my lower back and have been for several years now. Recently I am having a lot of stiffness in my calf muscles and hamstrings. I've seen the doctors, 2 physiotherapists, neurologist, sports therapist, chiropractor etc and I've received conflicting diagnosis from all of them. I read about spasticity and it seems as though it could be what I'm dealing with but my neurologist refuses. Doctor says it's arthritis, neurologist says it's my SI joint. She says if it was spasticity I'd have a hard time walking and my knees wouldn't want to bend. Physio says it's spasticity, chiropractor doesn't know what to think as he is unable to adjust me but looks at an x-ray and says I have very mild arthritis and says it's not uncommon. Most recently I'm working with a sports therapist and she is surprised by how tight my leg muscles are. She hasn't worked a bunch with MS patients and can't really give an opinion on what the issue is. Has anyone had similar symptoms and had a spasticity diagnosis? My doctor gave me a prescription for baclofen but I hesitate to try it after reading the side effects.
3
@Stumbler
@Stumbler
 

@albertaguy , there are physios, then there are Neuro-physios. You definitely want to see the latter, as they're mire specialised in these kinds of issues. Baclofen is the the usual medical option offered by Doctors. It's a muscle relaxant, which is usually well-tolerated. However, it can be a double-edged sword. So, start on a low dosage and build-up until it resolves your problem. Over-doing it can cause muscle weakness. But don't stop the exercising, particularly the stretching. Yoga is highly recommended to manage our "suppleness".

@ItsMewithMS
@ItsMewithMS
 

I had a PT gal discourage me from stretching saying that I was basically to loose while at the same time I had spasticity setting in from MS. I dropped her and moved to another ;-0 All the MS articles say to stretch as does Dr Boster. I try to follow his recommendation to make sure and give a good stretch several times a day...not a full stretch out (which I do daily in the evening) but at least a fingers to the floor, side stretch to the side, big reaches up, etc.. Just helps me cope. Some Dr Boster points on Spasticity- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kolMBGpryo&list=PL3a4GpjWLtChFm5MGxTZ8xKU_E0VSGk0h&index=2 I also take Gralise, the extended release version of Gabapentin and that helps me on this. I am also on Ocrevus as a DMT and take things like Mg and make sure I get some Ca each day, take a fish oil pill each day and Vitamin D I have foot drop on my right and the issues on my right that I think led to to needing a hip replacement. So I have issues resulting from that - just a bit of uneveness and the imbalance seems to impact my SI joint. I try to do PT that I can do without standing, requiring balance, so I get on my stationary bike. I like it and would love if I could get a seated octane recumbant type bike. keeping my eye out to upgrade ;-)