Painful nerve conditions of the lower extremity can present as:
- Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Affecting Lower Leg, Ankle, Heel, and Arch
- Common Peroneal, Deep and Superficial Peroneal Nerve Entrapments Causing Pain at Knee Level and Mid Leg
- Tibial Nerve Entrapments at Mid-Calf
- metabolic neuropathy (diabetic)
Causes
- Nerve Entrapment
- Trauma
- Metabolic Disorder
Symptoms
Pain that usually radiates or shifts, limb or foot weakness, abnormal sensations, numbness.
Diagnosis
Detailed history and examination, in-office x-rays to rule out bony etiologies, nerve testing, diagnostic injections, and/or oral medications.
Nonsurgical treatment
- Serial Injective Therapy
- Long-term oral medication
- Orthotics
- Activity Modification
When is surgery needed?
When a patient experiences unrelenting chronic pain that gets worse over time. Frequently the need to realign the lower leg and hindfoot osseous relationships is critical to maintaining and relieving nerve conditions, for example, correcting severe flatfoot. Open decompression (release of scar tissue and constraining ligaments and muscle architecture) at multiple levels can be helpful. The development and use of the peripheral nerve stimulator has added an innovative treatment option alone or in conjunction with other surgical interventions.