When you or your relatives or friends have suffered a stroke, besides preventing the recurrence of stroke under the guidance of your doctor, you must also be interested in knowing what phenomena to focus on or what are the priorities of care after the acute treatment and what to do about the paralysis left behind. This will require further rehabilitation to help the patient recover. Through rehabilitation instruction, patients are expected to first understand the functional abnormalities that have resulted or may result from the stroke, and then learn how to overcome the abnormal movement patterns so that they can regain the ability to care for themselves and achieve a normal life as much as possible. This process is guided by a rehabilitation physician and involves a multidisciplinary team of physicians. This brochure will help you properly understand the phenomenon of limb spasticity after a stroke and will tell you what treatments are available and where you can get help. What is spasticity? Spasticity is typically characterized by increased muscle tone or twitching, which may lead to strange body postures (see figure “Spasticity”). The spasticity often appears within a few weeks after the stroke and will persist, affecting the functional recovery of the affected limb in mild cases or leading to joint contractures and skin ulcers in severe cases. Several treatments are available to control spasticity and prevent complications. Since every patient has the possibility of spasticity after the first stroke, it is important to understand spasticity, detect early signs of spasticity in the first place, and take active countermeasures to control spasticity. Signs and symptoms of spasticity Do you or a friend or relative feel one of the following symptoms in the arm or leg involved in the stroke? Stiffness, difficulty extending, trembling, twitching, pain? Do you or your loved one have difficulty performing any of the following actions? 1.Lay your feet flat on the ground (heel and foot on the ground at the same time)? 2.Opening the palms of your hands (stretching your fingers)? 3.Lift your arm or leg? 4.Put your arms or legs in their natural position? 5.Positioning yourself comfortably? If you find that you or a friend or relative has any of the above phenomena after a stroke, please consult a physician as soon as possible, and once diagnosed, you should seek regular treatment under the guidance of a qualified physician.