SPINAL RIGIDITY FOLLOWING ACUTE MYELITIS

A patient with a 2 1/2-year history of painful spasms and rigidity of both lower limbs is described. Symptoms began after an episode of acut e myelitis. The spasms-which were spontaneous and stimulus sensitive a nd occurred on voluntary action-involved the repetitive grouped discha rge of motor units. Continuous motor unit activity was present at rest in the muscles of both legs, and cutaneomuscular reflexes were abnorm al. This patient is similar to those recently reported as having stiff ness and spasms of the legs due to a possible chronic spinal interneur onitis and provides further evidence that this kind of movement disord er may be caused by spinal cord pathology.