When you have severe spasticity, stiff and rigid muscles, the disabling effects can interfere with your daily life. Most commonly caused by a brain or spinal cord injury, spasticity can make it difficult to walk, control your movements or talk.

Across the Sutter Health network, doctors diagnose and treat spasticity problems and work to prevent complications, including pain, impaired mobility, sleep disruption, depression, progressive scoliosis and muscle contractures. Mild cases of spasticity often respond well to medications and physical or occupational therapies. More severe cases of spasticity typically need more aggressive intervention, including injections and surgery.

Services we offer include:

• Antispastic oral medications such as baclofen, dantrolene, tizanidine or gabapentin.
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation care such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, stretching, body positioning, cryotherapy, splinting or inhibitory casting.
• Orthotics selection and support.
• Botulinum toxin injections or motor nerve point blocks.
• Access to clinic trials for new methods of treatment.
• Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy, also called the baclofen pump, which can be used to directly deliver medicine into the spinal fluid and nervous system.