Cajun Spine

Damage to the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain is the cause of cerebral palsy spastic diplegia. The cerebral cortex is responsible for the control of brain signals to the nerves and then to the muscles causing a disruption in muscle tension. In cases of spastic diplegia, both legs and the arms are affected. The legs are typically affected more than the arms. When first observed in the 1860s, this condition was called Little’s disease.

Symptoms of cerebral palsy spastic diplegia include spastic, stiff muscles of the legs, difficulty with grasp, and mobility delays. Walking and gait in a person suffering with this condition is often crouched with toe walking and knees flexed. With therapy and corrective treatment, a person with this condition can attain a level of mobility. Eye muscle weakness contributes to strabismus, or cross-eye, and nearsightedness. If left untreated, more serious eye problems can occur.

Treatment for spastic diplegia can include corrective braces, gait analysis, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, and Botox injections. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment uses 100 percent oxygen under pressure to reduce pressure and swelling in the brain. This treatment can also detoxify the body and promote repair of damaged blood vessels. Botox injected into muscles will relax the muscles relieving rigidity of a spastic muscle.