Muscle stiffness after a stroke, known as spasticity, happens when damaged brain pathways lose the ability to send normal relax signals. Instead of resting, affected muscles stay in a constant, high-tension state. This leaves arms or legs feeling heavy, rigid, and hard to move, making straightening a joint feel like stretching a thick rubber band. Muscles may flex involuntarily on their own without your control. Over time, this continuous contraction triggers deep muscle ache

Immediate presentation to an emergency department upon symptom onset is imperative. Intravenous thrombolysis (IV tPA) must be initiated within 4.5 hours for cute ischemaic events, whereas endovascular mechanical thrombectomy remains viable for up to 24 hours in large vessel occlusions. Diagnostic neuro-imaging—utilizing non-contrast Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)—is required to distinguish acute ischemic infarction from intracranial hemorrhage, a