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Hi List, After reading Phil's description below and others,I'm confused. Aliza's right big toe is pointed upward in a rigid manner. She does not have any cramping,muscle contractions or spasms. It is a static fixed distension of the toe that interferes with her walking. There appears to be no relation with her Sinemet CR absorption. Is this dystonia or is it rigidity since the toe can not be pushed back in place? Gil,CG for Aliza --------- Greg, Good question. Per Duvoisin's book, Rigidity "..is characterizied by a constant, even resistance to passive manuipulation of the limbs. It is due to a failure of reciprocal relaxation of the antagonistic muscle. "In other words, an examiner needs to maniuplate the limb to diagnose the rigidity. However Duvoisin also states "The patient may be aware of the muscular rigidity .. as ... a pain, or a cramp." Dystonia "A type of involuntary movement which is slow, twisting and associated with forceful muscle contractions or spasms." All this gets confusing. How painful does a cramp have to get before it is characterized as dystonia versus regidity? Early in my diagnosis, I personally erroneously thought that the dystonia was rigidity. I was later properly diagnosed and given a dopamine agonist for the dystonia. In the final analysis, I personally feel it is the same basic mechanism at work. Muscles are turned on when they are not supposed to be. They fight each other. Eventually one wins, short term of long term, and severely cramps or contorts limbs. The main message I was trying to get across to Carol was to make sure that she has been diagnosed properly so that she gets the proper medication. This seems to be a tricky area even for the neuro's in us boderline cases. Phil Gesotti 50/46+/