Compression of a nerve can result in discomfort in the lower leg along the distribution of that nerve.
Nerve |
Muscles |
Sensory |
superficial peroneal |
peroneus longus, peroneus brevis |
medial side great toe; second through fifth toes except first interdigital cleft and lateral side of fifth toe |
deep peroneal |
anterior tibial compartment; weakness ankle dorsiflexion; extensor hallucis longus |
first interdigitial cleft |
sural |
|
posterior and lateral aspects of distal third of the leg; lateral side of foot including fifth toe |
saphenous |
|
medial side of leg; medial aspect mid-foot |
Mechanism of compression:
(1) compartment syndrome (associated with increased compartment pressure)
(2) muscle herniation through a fascial defect
(3) repeated trauma (dislocations, etc.)
(4) fibrosis
Nerve |
Location Where Often Compressed |
superficial peroneal |
fascia delimiting the lateral compartment |
deep peroneal |
intermuscular septum delimiting the anterior compartment |
deep peroneal |
entrance to the fibular tunnel at the origin of the peroneus longus |
sural |
calf |
saphenous |
subsartorial (Hunter's canal) |
Clinical Features:
(1) leg pain, which may be persistent
(2) burning sensation and/or paresthesias along the distribution of a nerve
(3) weakness or atrophy of muscle supplied by the nerve
(4) Tinel's sign (distal tingling on proximal percussion) may be present
(5) abnormal nerve conduction
(6) improvement on decompression
Specialty: Surgery, orthopedic
ICD-10: ,