Best Exercises To Reduce Spasticity Stretching and weight-bearing exercises can help Spasticity is a common side effect of certain neurological conditions. And while the word might make you think of muscle spasms, it’s much different from what you might think. “Oftentimes, you may hear the word ‘muscle spasm,’ ‘stiffness’ or even ‘rigidity,’” says physical therapist and clinical rehab specialist Randy Karim, PT, DPT, NCS, CBIS. “However, spasticity has special nuances that make it different than those terms.” What is spasticity? To understand spasticity, it helps first to understand muscle tone. “Muscle tone gives our body structure,” says Dr. Karim. “In everyday terms, if we had zero muscle tone, we would resemble a wet noodle, or a pile of muscles and bones on the ground. But if we had too much tone, we would be as stiff as a board and find it extremely difficult to move.” If you don’t have enough tone, you have what’s known as hypotonicity. Having too much tone is called...