Early Recognition and Intervention for Poststroke Spasticity
Published: January 29, 2026
- Poststroke spasticity is common, disabling, and costly, affecting 30–80% of stroke survivors and contributing to impaired mobility, increased caregiver burden, and substantially higher health care costs.
- Evidence supports proactive, multimodal treatment approaches for poststroke spasticity. Early use of therapies such as botulinum toxin, task-specific training, functional electrical stimulation, and mobilization, especially when combined with rehabilitation, can reduce spasticity severity.
- High-risk patients can be identified early and warrant proactive monitoring. Larger strokes, corticospinal tract involvement, and limited early motor recovery are strongly associated with spasticity development.