Tarsal tunnel syndrome: Electrophysiological study

Abstract

Tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) is a rare compression neuropathy of the posterior tibial nerve. Typical symptoms are burning pain and paresthesia in the toes and along the sole of the foot. The presence of Tinel's sign and objective sensory loss in the territory of any of the terminal branches of the posterior tibial nerve are diagnostically helpful. The terminal latency and sensory nerve conduction velocity in medial and lateral plantar nerves were studied in 20 normal controls and 21 cases of TTS in 17 patients. Prolonged terminal latency was observed in 11 cases, with TTS, while sensory nerve conduction abnormality (either absent nerve potential or slow sensory nerve conduction velocity) was found in 19. The sensory nerve conduction velocity in the lateral and medial plantar nerves is a superior objective diagnostic index of TTS.