Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Test & Diagnosis [Home Treatment]

Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Test:

Do a quick tarsal tunnel syndrome test by pressing with your thumb between your inside ankle and the heel. If the pain radiates this is almost definitely what you have.

But if it does not, it still does not rule out tarsal tunnel syndrome and Compression.

This is called a Postive Tinel or Valleix Sign if the nerve pain radiates up or down the ankle.

Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms: 

Nerve pain is distinguished from muscle, tendon and bone pain by the type of pain it causes.

Non-nerve pain usually produces more of a throbbing and aching soreness, while nerve pain causes numbness burning and tingling.

Other symptoms of posterior tibial nerve compression and entrapment include:

• Numbness burning and tingling around the ankles and possibly even the toes.
• Swelling of the feet.
• A shocking electrical sensation.
• Pain radiating towards the foot, towards the leg or both.
• Changes in temperature- Hot or cold.
• Pain along the inside of the ankle.
• “Pins and needle” pricking like sensation.
• Postive Tinel or Valleix Sign.

Posterior Tibial Nerve Pain:

The posterior tibial nerve can experience compression in two separate areas.

1) Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome:

• The most common site of posterior tibial nerve entrapment and compression is in the tarsal tunnel. This is where the posterior tibial nerve travels between the calcaneus and the flexor retinaculum ligament. It travels along with the posterior tibial artery, the posterior tibialis muscle, the flexor digitorium longus muscle and the flexor hallucis longus muscle. This is a prime site for constriction of both the medial and lateral plantar nerves that are the terminal divisions of the posterior tibial nerve. The constriction can occur before, in the middle and after the tarsal tunnel in equal 1/3rd proportions.

2) Medial Calcaneal Nerve Impingement:

• This is also known as Baxter’s nerve entrapment.
• The medial calcaneal nerve is a nerve that comes off the posterior tibial nerve punctures through the flexor retinaculum (a ligament that holds the neurovasculature protected against the inside of the ankle) on the inside of the ankle.
• The site where the medial calcaneal nerve pierces through the ligament is a primary site of constriction; this can mimic pain in a region close to the site of plantar fasciitis.