Tardieu Scale for Assessing Muscle Spasticity

 

Patient selection: with spastic muscles

 

Method:

(1) The muscle should be at rest prior to stretching maneuver.

(2) Testing should be done at the same time of day each time.

(3) The limb being tested should be in the same standardized position each time.

(4) Other joints should not move during the testing.

(5) The velocity of stretch should be reproducible.

 

Testing involves passive muscle stretching at 2 speeds:

(1) slow: as slow as possible

(2) fast - one of the following (same speed used each time):

(2a) that of a limb segment falling against gravity

(2b) as fast as possible

 

Parameters:

(1) spasticity angle (threshold)

(2) spasticity grade (gain)

 

spasticity angle in degrees =

= (angle of arrest at slow speed) - (angle of catch at fast speed)

Findings During Muscle Testing	Grade
no resistance throughout passive muscle movement	0
slight resistance during passive muscle movement	1
definite catch at a specific angle, followed by release	2
definite catch at a specific angle with fatiguable clonus (<= 10 seconds) followed by release	3
definite catch at a specific angle with "unfatiguable" clonus (> 10 seconds)	4

 

Since Grades 0 and 1 have no catch, the spasticity angle is always 0 degrees.