What does spasticity mean?
Spasticity is a medical term for an abnormal increase in muscle tone. It occurs when the nervous system causes muscles to remain contracted or resist being stretched, producing stiffness, involuntary movements, and sometimes pain. Spasticity is commonly associated with conditions affecting the brain or spinal cord, including cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injuries. It differs from ordinary muscular tension because it is persistent and can interfere with movement, posture, and everyday activities. Doctors may identify it during a physical examination and treat it with medication, physical therapy, stretching, and sometimes injections. Although the word can sound descriptive, it is normally used in medical or clinical settings, where precision is important.
nounSpasticity is an abnormal increase in muscle tone caused by exaggerated muscle contractions, often associated with neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, or spinal cord injury.
- An abnormal increase in muscle tone characterized by involuntary resistance to passive movement or stretching.
"Physical therapy and medication helped reduce the spasticity in her legs."
"The neurologist prescribed medication to control the patient's spasticity."
"Her spasticity became more noticeable during periods of stress."
The plural is grammatically possible but uncommon because the word is normally used in the singular in clinical writing.
"The study compared patterns of spasticity in several neurological disorders."
Spasticity is not simply stiffness: it reflects the nervous system sending excessive signals to muscles, making them resist stretching and movement.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does spasticity come from?
The word comes through Latin from Greek spastikos, meaning drawing or contracting, from a root associated with pulling or drawing tight. The related English word spastic developed from the same Greek source, while the noun spasticity was formed in the Latin-derived medical vocabulary. Its modern clinical meaning developed alongside the recognition of neurological conditions involving involuntary muscle contraction and resistance.
Related word forms
How spasticity is actually used
This is primarily a medical and technical term. In clinical contexts it refers specifically to increased muscle tone resulting from dysfunction of the nervous system, and it is distinct from contracture, which is a shortening or tightening of connective tissue.
Easily confused with spasticity
Spasticity is the noun for increased muscle tone, whereas spastic is primarily an adjective describing muscle stiffness or contractions.