Does increased tone with hyperreflexia=spasticity?

[Corriel]

Hi folks, trying to decipher the physiatrist's report and she reports that I am hyperreflexic everywhere (which is not new for me) but this time she noted increased tone at both ankles more prominent on the left than the right.

I know that there were only 2 beats of clonus on the left and she noted some mild foot drop with that foot too.

Does the increased tone mean the same thing as spasticity?

Thanks very much,

Corrie

[Corriel]

Thanks JJ!

The clonus is too mild to really count and when I had previously asked the physiatrist about the level of hyperreflexia she had said "3" so I'm guessing it was the same this time.

She threw me for a bit of a loop with the increase in ankle tone because normally I only have that in one arm.

Overall my muscle strength is still normal but she graded all of the main muscle groups as 4 so I need to start being more dedicated with my exercise routine than I have been.

Corrie

[supermum_ms]

This is the commonly used spasticity scale, sorry i couldn't remember it off the top of my head, hope it helps.....

Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) scores

Score Definition
0 No resistance.
1 Slight resistance, shown by a catch and release or by minimal resistance at the end of the ROM.
2 Slight resistance, shown by a catch, followed by minimal resistance in the rest (less than half) of the ROM.
3 Greater resistance through most of the ROM, but still easily moved.
4 Substantial resistance, and difficult to move.
5 Rigidity in the muscle.

http://www.myvmc.com/symptoms/spasticity/

Cheers.........JJ

[supermum_ms]

As far as i'm aware 2 beats wouldn't actually be abnormal, your reflexes need to be 3 for hyperflexia or 4 for clonus, so I'm confused by the 2 beats and don't know how to answer your Q sorry......this is the reflex grading scale

0 No evidence of contraction
1+ Decreased, but still present (hypo-reflexic)
2+ Normal
3+ Super-normal (hyper-reflexic)
4+ Clonus: Repetitive shortening of the muscle after a single stimulation

Cheers.....JJ