On the Modified Tardieu Scale, what do R1 and R2 indicate?

On the Modified Tardieu Scale, what do R1 and R2 indicate?

• A. R1: the angle of catch following a fast velocity stretch (V2 or V3); R2: passive ROM following a slow velocity stretch (V1)
• B. R1 and R2 indicate muscle strength at fast and slow stretch
• C. R1 is slow velocity; R2 is fast velocity
• D. R1 is ROM with motion; R2 is ROM with resistance

Answer: (A)

On the Modified Tardieu Scale, the two measures capture different aspects of spasticity by how fast you move the limb. R1 is the angle at which a catch (or clonus) first appears when you apply a fast stretch (V2 or V3). This shows the dynamic, velocity-dependent resistance due to spasticity. R2 is the full passive range of motion when you move the limb slowly (V1), reflecting the muscle and connective tissue length without the sudden catch from velocity. So R1 tells you where the high-velocity resistance begins, while R2 tells you how far the limb can move when velocity isn’t eliciting that catch. The difference between R2 and R1 indicates how much of the resistance is due to velocity-dependent spasticity versus fixed structural length.

On the Modified Tardieu Scale, the two measures capture different aspects of spasticity by how fast you move the limb. R1 is the angle at which a catch (or clonus) first appears when you apply a fast stretch (V2 or V3). This shows the dynamic, velocity-dependent resistance due to spasticity. R2 is the full passive range of motion when you move the limb slowly (V1), reflecting the muscle and connective tissue length without the sudden catch from velocity.

So R1 tells you where the high-velocity resistance begins, while R2 tells you how far the limb can move when velocity isn’t eliciting that catch. The difference between R2 and R1 indicates how much of the resistance is due to velocity-dependent spasticity versus fixed structural length.