Dee got fitted with a new orthopedic brace to support his right hand today. This stops the muscles from constricting, curling his hand over, and getting stuck in that position. The nerve pathways and impulses that control muscle movement have been damaged due to his spinal cord damage. This then causes his muscles to contract, become stiff, and spasm involuntarily. Its's called spasticity. They can become so rigid that it's nearly impossible to more them. Sometimes he has episodes of uncontrolled spasticity, particularly in his legs, where they spasm and twitch uncontrollably. They can be very dramatic, repetitive and frustrating for him, particularly at night as they keep him awake. This will often happen when he is moved from one position to another, but also just randomly. The new hand brace is fitted with a flat plate that his hand sits on. Then his hand and forearm is strapped to the plate to keep it open.
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