We report a new technique for studying conduction in the medial calcan
eal nerve (MCN), Dissection of 14 cadaver feet revealed the optimal G(
1) site to be one third of the way from the apex of the heel to a poin
t midway between the navicular tuberosity and the prominence of the me
dial malleolus, Seventy-two feet (36 healthy volunteers) were studied
using surface stimulation of the tibial nerve 10 cm proximal to the G(
1) surface electrode. Averaging technique was not required, Reference
values (mean +/- 2 SD) were determined for MCN onset latency (2.0 +/-
0.3 ms), peak latency (2.5 +/- 0.3 ms), onset conduction velocity (61
+/- 11 m/s), peak conduction velocity (40 +/- 5 m/s), baseline-to-peak
amplitude (18 +/- 6 mu V), and maximum intrasubject side-to-side diff
erences in these values (0.3 ms, 0.3 ms, 15 m/s, 5 m/s, and 17 mu V, r
espectively), This study provides an easily performed, reproducible me
thod for electrophysiologic evaluation of the MCN. (C) 1996 John Wiley
and Sons, Inc.