Summary

What it measures:

Both the Ashworth Scale (AS) and Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) are used to assess spasticity.

Target Population:

The AS and MAS have been utilized in the following populations: stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, pediatric hypertonia, and central nervous system lesions. This summary contains information on use of this test in patients or clients with spinal cord injury (SCI).

The Spinal Cord Injury EDGE Task Force of the Neurology Section of APTA does not recommend AS. The task force classifies MAS as reasonable to use, but there is limited study in the population of individuals with SCI.