Peroneal nerve entrapment in runners.

In a practice involving large groups of athletes, seven runners and one soccer player with peroneal nerve compression neuropathy secondary to exercise have been found. Running incited pain, numbness and tingling to varying degrees in all patients, and examination after running revealed muscle weakness and a positive percussion test as the nerve winds around the fibular neck. Nerve conduction velocity studies confirmed the diagnosis in the five patients on whom the test was performed; other studies served primarily to exclude other causes of pain. All patients were treated surgically by neurolysis of the peroneal nerve as it travels under the sharp fibrous edge of the peroneus longus origin. Seven of eight had excellent results and returned to their previous level of physical exertion without further symptoms. We think entrapment of the peroneal nerve at the fibular neck is a more common entity than previously recognized, and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of exertional lateral leg pain.