Recognizing, Addressing, and Treating Spasticity for the PALTC Provider (March 2023)

Recognizing, Addressing, and Treating Spasticity for the PALTC Provider

This session will provide a framework for recognizing, assessing, and treating spasticity. The session will highlight the impact spasticity can have on functional mobility, ability to perform ADLs, pain and skin integrity, making it essential to the PALTC provider. The importance of recognition and anticipation of the development of spasticity will be discussed, as well as key positive and negative effects of spasticity that should be initially considered. There will be a discussion on how to determine the best time to begin treatment of spasticity within a clinical framework. An introduction to the various treatment methods will allow attendees to begin developing a treatment continuum for spasticity to better guide their treatment decisions. 

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of this session, learners will be able to:

  • Describe spasticity and other similar clinical entities with focus on key ways to differentiate them.
  • Recognize diagnoses that may precipitate spasticity.
  • Evaluate potential negative and positive effects of spasticity.
  • Determine appropriate times and/or situations to begin treating spasticity and become familiar with systems and methods of spasticity management.

Nivedita Gunturi, MD

Nivedita Gunturi, MD, is triple boarded in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, dually appointed in the Section of Geriatric Medicine and the Division of Community and Global Health Equity. In addition to her role as the Associate Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program Director, Dr. Gunturi is the physician curriculum lead in the Rush College of Medicine for interdisciplinary collaboration, teamwork and conflict management. She has presented nationally on prognostication, communication, and social determinants of health at the systems level.

Andrew Patton, DO

Andrew Patton, DO, is an Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Rush University Medical Center. In addition to serving as the Associate Program Director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program at RUMC, he teaches students, residents and fellows in both bedside and didactic environments.

  • 0.5 CME
  • 0.5 CMD Clinical
  • 0.25 Pharmacology Credit

Release Date: 03/29/2023   |   Expiration: 03/01/2026

Credit Statements:

Accreditation: Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

CME Designation: Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CMD Credit Hours: This CME activity has been pre-approved by the American Board of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (ABPLM) for up to 0.5 clinical hours toward certification or recertification as a Certified Medical Director (CMD) in post-acute and long-term care medicine. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit actually spent on the activity.

The CMD Program is administered by the ABPLM. For further information, contact ABPLM at 410-992-3117 or at cmd@paltmed.org.

Pharmacology Credit: This activity satisfies the requirement for 0.25 Pharmacology Hour(s) for Nurse Practitioners.

Financial Disclosure Statement:

The Association requires the disclosure of all speaker/faculty/planner’s relevant financial relationships; presence of off-label use of a device or medication; and discussion of any experimental, new or evolving topic prior to each accredited education activity.

If the learner perceives any bias toward a commercial product or service, advocation of unscientific approaches to diagnosis or therapy, or recommendation, treatment, or manners of practicing healthcare that are determined to have risks or dangers that outweigh the benefits or are known to be ineffective in the treatment of patients please report this to the Association's staff.


The following speaker(s) disclosed relevant financial relationship(s): 

  • Julie Gammack, MD, CMD (Planner & Speaker): Stockholder: Amarin
  • Kenya Rivas Velasquez, MD, CMD, FAAFP (Planner & Speaker): OptumRx: Stockholder
  • All other planners, speakers, and AMDA staff have no relationships with ineligible companies.

All relevant financial relationships have been identified and mitigated.

Components visible upon registration.