Introduction

Hereditary spastic paraplegia isa general term for a group of rare inherited disorders that cause weakness and stiffness in the leg muscles. Symptoms gradually get worse over time.

It's also known as familial spastic paraparesis or Strmpell-Lorrain syndrome.

It's difficult to know exactly how many people have hereditary spastic paraplegia because it's often misdiagnosed. It's thought to affect about 3 in every 100,000people.

This page covers:

Spastic paraplegia, hereditary

Causes

Diagnosis

Treatment

Complications

Outlook

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 6 Sep 2016