Adolescents and adults are at risk of developing lumbosacral spinal stenosis. The lumbar spinal cord or nerve roots become compressed producing neurologic symptoms. Initial symptoms include weakness, tingling, and pain of the legs. Often the pain is alleviated by assuming a squatting position. As the condition worsens, pain in the low back or buttocks occurs.
Treatment is a neurosurgical procedure called a lumbar laminectomy.
In these cases, achondroplasia is due to a new mutation or genetic change. The gene for achondroplasia has been found. Often, two individuals with achondroplasia have children. These couples are at risk of having a child with 2 copies of the changed gene or double homozygosity. Infants with homozygous achondroplasia are either stillborn or die shortly after birth.