MND-MUSCLE CONTRACTURES

SUMMARY

1. Best treatment is prevention.
2. First occur in muscles that span 2 joints with the joints held in flexion.
3. Common sites include shoulder adductors, elbow flexors, forearm pronators, hip flexors & internal rotators, ankle plantar-flexors & invertors.

PHYSICAL THERAPY:
4. Passive, active-assistive, active ROM after the application of superficial heat (can be used safely as MND patients have spared sensation).
5. Splinting and serial casting.
6. Appropriate positioning to prevent contractures.

Reference(s)

Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].