[Limping and muscle hypertonia concentrated in the calves. Relation to spasmophilia. Clinical and electromyographic study and treatment plan].

The authors report several cases of patients who presented with pain in one or both calves and a limping gait. Clinical examination and the EMG confirmed that these disorders were of musculo-tendinous origin, maximal at the level of the gemellus tendon, frequently forming a tendinitis. The syndrome consists of a hypertonia of the calves which is maximal on waking and which improves on stretching the muscles. Most of the subjects examined suffered from a syndrome of restless legs and presented alterations of the autonomic nervous system and spasmophilia (simultaneous EMG recording of the left and right soleus muscles). Examination of the pathogenesis reveals the possibility of a phenomenon of tonic muscular training synchronous with variations in an elevated and unstable autonomic tone. The authors discuss a possible relationship with spasmophilia and algodystrophy. Finally, they propose a plan of treatment.