Rigidity

[Jessicajane66]

Just wondering if this is a common symptom of PSP.

Mum's arm and legs and neck are stiff as boards. There is so much rigidity now and she hardly moves at all.

Would welcome any opinions on this matter.

Thanks.

Jessica

[easterncedar]

Sorry to say this is very common. Muscle relaxants and antispasmodic drugs are often prescribed. Massage, and heat sometimes help. There's a cream with an NSAID, called Volteran, needs a prescription, that is sometimes recommended. We try to gently flex the joints as much as we can every day, but my guy is not in so advanced a state as your mother and his stiffness is still something that comes and goes, except in his right arm, which is stiff more often than not. I hope you find something to help. It must be so miserable for both of you. Peace, Ec

[Jessicajane66 in reply to easterncedar]

Thank you. It just seems like everything is shutting down, one by one.

[rriddle]

Yes, rigidity is a classic symptom in PSP. You could ask the physician about trying levodopa medication as that can sometimes address rigidity.

[abirke]

My husband did two things. Early on he would fall back in his chair, it was as if he could not bend any further to reach the seat of the chair ....His right foot would freeze making walking very difficult. The last few weeks his head would fall forward and to the left....very difficult to raise up and it hurt....one of the few things he did say hurt......I would make him do exercises in which he had to look up at the ceiling and "rest" his right ear on his right shoulder....it worked for the moment ...PSP does not respond real well to exercise...it does nto get better...However I still believe that you stave off the onset of more rigidity through exercise....

So that is my take on it exercise her , get a physical therapist to design some exercises for her and then help implement them on a daily or every other day basis...

Goodlluck

AVB

[FoggyBay]

We are struggling with this too, especially in the arms, and the back at night. The physio has give us a series of passive stretching exercises for the arms and legs which we do once a day (would be better to do twice a day but never seem to be able to fit it in). R starts out reluctant to move his arms but by the end of the repeats he has the full range of movement. I don't know if he would seize up completely if we didn't stretch those muscles daily. He is also taking gabapentin but we don't think that is doing anything for him, and plan to start weaning him off that . But consider the exercises.....