Spasticity: A Consideration in Rehabilitation of the Elderly

A systematic review of nursing contributions to mobility rehabilitation: examining the quality and content of the evidence

“…Dawe and Curran‐Smith (1994) explore the nurse's role in performing ROM exercises, suggesting that they can help to maintain and improve patients’ muscle strength, tone, joint mobility and cardiovascular functioning. Two papers (Butler 1985, QRP, Boughery 1999) discuss nursing interventions to ameliorate spasticity which may disrupt mobility. Nurses are advised to prevent conditions likely to worsen spasticity such as urinary tract infections, bowel impaction, skin and muscle trauma, fractures, deep vein thrombosis and contractures.…”

Bed Positioning Programs for Older Adults in a Chronic Care Hospital- A Survey

“…In a study of 161 Alzheimer patients, an association was found between the degree of a knee flexion contracture and the presence of resistance to passive knee motion (Sowen, Franssen, & Reisberg, 1995). Contractures may be a major contributing factor in the high incidence of pressure ulcers (Butler, 1985;Knight & Scott, 1990). Increased muscle tone and contractures make it more difficult to administer nursing care to a patient and may also affect a patient's ability to sit in a wheelchair (Yarkony, 1984).…”