Stroke and Assessment of Muscle Tone

Spasticity is defined as a state of increased muscle tone, which evokes an increased resistance to a passive and fast stretching of the muscle. Indeed, the degree of spasticity depends, among other things, on the stretching velocity performed to the muscle. However, most of the tools used in the clinical setting to assess spasticity do not take into account the relationship between increased muscle tone and speed of stretching. Instead of that, muscle tone is usually assessed in a relaxed position of the muscle. Likewise, to date, despite the functional disabilities related to the presence of chronic pain after a stroke, no previous study has correlated muscle tone and pressure pain sensitivity within this population