ANTERIOR TARSAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

Nerves live in different layers of flesh, some are deeper inside, some are right under the skin, and some are protected between bones. Major nerves are usually protected better generally because they are deeper under muscles and fat. One common fact is that the body tries very hard to protect these major nerves SO when nerve crosses a joint it is given some extra protection. As you can imagine when a joint moves it creates a pushing , pulling and even stretching force on nerves so in order to protect them the body creates tunnels. You may have heard of one - the carpal tunnel. This is in the wrist and this flesh tunnel protects the nerves from excessive strain when the hand is moved around. Sometimes natures’ protective system is not quite good enough and repetitive motions can cause an inflammation , we call that carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal means hand , tarsal means foot.

So in the ankle there is a protective tunnel for the major nerve to the foot - this is called the Tarsal Tunnel; and inflammation and pain in that area we call tarsal tunnel syndrome . That is in the area on the inside of the ankle behind the ankle bone. read our page on this topic if your pain is located there.

There is one more major nerve into the top of the foot, the deep peroneal nerve and it sits in front of the ankle and on top of the foot in its own tunnel. We call this tunnel the Anterior Tarsal Tunnel - makes sense considering anterior means front.

Occasionally , but not too often the contents of this tunnel can become inflamed and cause irritation and even cause numbness and weakness to the top of the foot and pain around the ankle area. There are many

WORK IN PROGRESS!!!!!!!