Question about Spasticity???

Since my last relapse in August I have had trouble with my left leg, going on 5 months.

The muscle in the front (Qaud?) is tight as well as the muscle of the inner thigh. I can bend leg as normal but I cannot bend and rotate it. ie. turn knee outwards when bent as it causes pain in the muscle and it is sooo tight.

Also I cannot relax knee down while slightly bent (spread legs apart with slightly bent knee)  It also causes strain on the knee area and feels like its pulling the knee cap.

With the last relapse the quad muscle (left side only) started tightening around the top  and inside of the knee and slowly worked up the leg to the top and groin.

I am waiting to see a physio about it but just wondering if this is spasticity or some other problem.

I should also mention that if I try to move quickly when walking and turn to change direction ie to the right , it gives me a zap of pain in the inner thigh . As well as if I sit legs drawn up and relax knee outwards to stretch, it will go only down a little before it causes pain in the quad and a pulling feeling.

Can anyone tell from this if it is spasticity?? or something else??
Thanks
Mistylee

[mistylee]

Can anybody help with this???

[Khiba]

Hi Mistylee,

I have a similar problem and its musclular in origin. For me, its the sartorius muscle. The sartorius is the longest muscle in a person's body. It is attached to the lower part of the outer hip, crosses the inner thigh and connects to the inside of the knee.

If you google sartorius muscle pain you can find quite a few remedies and stretches to help this out. I find I have to stretch my leg muscles daily to find relief from the spasticity. Medication makes it easier to bear too. MS makes all my leg muscles act like brats!

Maybe Dr Quix will jump in here. :)

[grannyhotwheels]

Baclofen helps me a lot with the spasticity I have in both my legs.  I know the feeling you are describing.  I notice it the most when I'm doing my exercises from my PT.  He laughs at me because when he says, "now this one will make the inner thigh feel really tight, you should feel it pulling". This is why he laughs: When he tells me that it never fails it will actually pull or feel tight somewhere else besides where he said it would.  It's like I'm wired backwards.

I'll be praying,
Carol

[mistylee]

So I guess from what your saying ,it definatly sounds like spasticity as opposed to damaged muscle or strain???

If it was a strain it should have gotten better by now.

Kibha it could be the sartorius muscle as I can't look at the ball of my foot but it also pulls and hurts on the outside of the knee.??

Mistylee

[mistylee]

Good news!!!!

Got a call from the hospital today....they have a cancellation . I go to physio  first thing tomorrow morning!!!!!  Thank goodness, otherwise it could have been 8 weeks away.  :)  I'll let you know what they think.

Misty

[mistylee]

Ok the physio doesn't think its spasticity cos when he pumped my leg it didn't catch!!

Dx is a weak leg with tight muscles and I have strengthening excercises to do as well as stretches.

So if a neurological problem is causing this then isn't weak tight muscle what spasticity is??  Mild spasticity maybe???  Any one??

Mistylee

[Karen99]

Hi.  I've been watching your post because I've been wondering about spasticity myself.  Both of my thighs feel tighter than normal, on the backside, more so on the right leg.  There is some mild back ache too, so I was wondering about a sciatica problem.

To answer your question and mine too I looked it up in my MS Bible.  (everyone should get Richard Shapiro's "Managing The Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis.")

Basically it says that spasticity means stiffness that occurs most commonly in the muscles that are responsible for maintaining upright position: calf, thigh, buttock, groin, and back.  

Many people with MS have limited range of movement in at least some joints and muscles.  Dr, Shapiro also states that exercises should be performed with a minimum of effort.  Passive stretching is best, exercising in a pool may be extremely beneficial.  Very cold temperatures can make spasticity worse.  Infection and pain increase spasticity.

When spasticity is present, the increased stiffness in the muscles means that a great deal of energy is required to perform daily activities.  

So, yes, after reading that I believe I do have some spasticity.  It would seem you may also.  

I'll see if I can find more info for you that is not copywrited.

[Karen99]

Google multiple sclerosis society.  There are very good articles there on spasticity.

Be cautious of exercises designed to strengthen the leg.  It could possibly weaken it more.  The more I read, a weak leg and tight muscles can be the definition of spasticity.

[mistylee]

Thanks Karen for that . I too thought the same as you. I will google that site.

I think it might be a good idea to ask the neuro next time I go as he will be more qualified to know than a physio.

Mistylee

[slightlybroken]

One of my main issues is weakness and spasticity on the left side of the body. My neuro said that the weakness is partly caused from the spasticity of the different muscle groups always fighting against each other. Weakness and spasticity can go hand and hand with each other.

Stretches might be fine to do, but I find that any extra exercises that I do, (physical activity, like walking), can actually have the opposite effect on the leg, and cause it to be weaker. By the end of the day, my whole left side is always feeling what I did. I agree with Karen about doing strength exercises. It could do more harm than good, because it does sound like you are having problems with spasticity.

I would see about getting a RX for a muscle relaxer, like Baclofen or Zanaflex, from your neuro.

Take Care

[mistylee]

Thanks for that . I told the physio that light strenghthening over a couple of months has done nothing to increase my strength and the more I walk, the tired I get , the tighter the muscle and the more painful and weak it gets.

I really do feel this is spasticity so I will keep up the stretches but keep the strengthening to a minumim until I have spoken to the neuro.

Mistylee