PRESSURE PERCEPTION IN THE NORMAL LOWER-EXTREMITY AND IN THE TARSAL TUNNEL-SYNDROME

For quantitative sensory testing to be useful for the management of pe ripheral nerve problems, a normative database must be developed. The P ressure-Specified Sensory Device(TM) (PSSD), a handheld instrument who se hemispherical metal probe tips are connected via a force transducer to a computer, has been found reliable and valid for the upper extrem ity, In the present study, the PSSD was used to measure the cutaneous pressure threshold at four lower extremity sites in 34 normal adults a nd in 22 patients with tarsal tunnel syndrome (6 bilateral), Each of t he 28 limbs that was symptomatic for tarsal tunnel syndrome had a cuta neous pressure threshold greater than the 99% confidence limit of the age-matched controls (less than or equal to 45 years, > 45 years of ag e). Screening for tarsal tunnel syndrome can be done utilizing the mea surement of the two-point static-touch thresholds for pressure and dis tance. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.