Spasms and stiffness
Muscle stiffness and spasms are common MS symptoms, and are often described as 'spasticity'.
Muscle spasms or stiffness can affect between 40% and 80% of people with MS at some time. For most people, these are occasional symptoms.
Drugs and therapies (including physiotherapy and occupational therapy) can help you manage these symptoms.
We last updated this page on
In this section
It’s early evening, I’m relaxing watching a bit of TV or reading with my feet up. That’s when it starts: my toe, usually my big toe on my left foot, slowly starts to point towards the ceiling. It aches, I push my toe back down, this repeats for an hour or so. Sometimes it leads to a massive leg spasm, sometimes the toes just twitches away for ages.Ann, a writer living with relapsing MS
Find support near you
Our local groups are starting to meet face-to-face again. We've made sure any activities can happen in a COVID-safe way. Each group will go at their own pace, and you'll still find lots happening online. From coffee mornings to online yoga classes – put in your postcode to find out what's near you.
Helpful resources
From symptoms and treatments to accessing care and support, our booklets and factsheets are packed full of information and tips on living well with MS.
You can download them from our website or order copies from our online shop.