For these patients, daily exercise programs should focus on resistance exercises designed to maintain and very gradually increase the strength of these weak muscles. Daughters may carry X-linked gene mutations, but like their mothers, usually do not have symptoms although they may have mild symptoms and rarely, may have more significant symptoms of the disorder. Available at: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/306713-overview Accessed June 21, 2017. Information on current clinical trials is posted on the Internet at www.clinicaltrials.gov. Walking pattern described as “spastic gait” occurs in which the following elements are present, each to variable degree in different individuals: a) heel strike is shifted forward (landing on the mid-foot or even further forward on the balls of the feet); b) there is reduced foot dorsiflexion (not bending the toes up, but instead tending to drag the toes, often catching them on carpet or when stepping over curbs, and causing the toes of the shoes to be worn out); c) stride length may become shorter; d) there may be “circumduction” or “scissoring”, with one leg crossing into the path of the other; e) there is a tendency for the knees to be maintained flexed (not fully extended in mid-stride), f) for thighs to be close together (adductor tightness), and g) hip flexion (knee lifting) to be reduced. Spastic diplegia developed in five of 26 infants during treatment, with possibly significant functional sequelae [571], and in one of 53 infants treated for a median of 51 weeks [572]. 8. This latter process is termed “peripheral neuropathy”. Please try again. Please try again. Send us feedback. Nonetheless at present, genetic testing results very rarely influence treatment which is largely directed toward reducing symptoms. Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia. In general, individuals who have recessively inherited disorders do not transmit the disorder to their children. Spastic Diplegia Causes. Consultation with a neurologist is recommended who can exclude these conditions by the nature of signs and symptoms and through laboratory testing and imaging (e.g. Individuals seeking genetic counseling for HSP are recommended to consult a genetic counselor or medical geneticist for specific information. Rather, the abnormalities in HSP appear to selectively affect only specific nerve pathways, particularly the very long nerve processes (axons) that carry signals from the brain motor cortex to the lower part of the thoracic spinal cord. Although the disorder is typically referred to as hereditary spastic paraplegia the degree of weakness is variable and ranges from no weakness (full strength) to marked weakness (paraplegia).