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Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation
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Medial calcaneal neuropathy: a missed etiology of chronic plantar heel pain

Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation volume 44, pages 147–152 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction

Medial calcaneal neuropathy had been implicated as a source of chronic plantar heel pain.

Aim

The aim was to determine the presence of medial calcaneal neuropathy as a cause of chronic plantar heel pain.

Patients and methods

The present study included 43 heels obtained from 38 patients with chronic plantar heel pain and 30 apparently healthy volunteers as a control group. Clinical examination was done. Sensory nerve conduction study of the medial calcaneal nerve was performed. This was a single-center, public hospital-based study. It was designed as a cross-sectional examination of consecutive patients with chronic plantar heel pain.

Results

There were 27 (62.79%) heels, from 23 (60.52%) patients, who had medial calcaneal neuropathy. From them, unobtainable medial calcaneal nerve response was present in 10 (37.03%) heels of nine (39.13%) patients. Medial calcaneal neuropathy was the solitary cause of chronic plantar heel pain in 10 (37.03%) heels from 10 (43.48%) patients. However, it was associated with other local heel pathologies in the remaining patients. The majority of them were having plantar fasciitis in nine (33.34%) heels from five (21.73%) patients.

Conclusion

Medial calcaneal neuropathy is present in a considerable number of patients with chronic plantar heel pain. It should be taken into consideration during the assessment of any patient with chronic plantar heel pain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, 21131, Alexandria, Egypt

    Emmanuel Kamal Aziz Saba (MD), Sarah Sayed El-Tawab & Hussein Al-Moghazy Sultan

Authors
  1. Emmanuel Kamal Aziz Saba
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  2. Sarah Sayed El-Tawab
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  3. Hussein Al-Moghazy Sultan
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Correspondence to Emmanuel Kamal Aziz Saba.

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Aziz Saba, E.K., El-Tawab, S.S. & Sultan, H.AM. Medial calcaneal neuropathy: a missed etiology of chronic plantar heel pain. Egypt Rheumatol Rehabil 44, 147–152 (2017). https://doi.org/10.4103/err.err_16_17

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