Effect of thigh flexion on somatosensory evoked potentials in meralgia paresthetica

Standing with the thigh extended or lying still provokes and stepping or si tting relieves the symptoms in some patients with meralgia paresthetica. We performed this study to confirm this clinical feature with electrophysiolo gical measures. Twenty-one symptomatic and 17 asymptomatic legs of 19 patie nts were evaluated by somatosensory evoked potential studies in both extend ed and flexed thigh positions. In the symptomatic group, thigh flexion sign ificantly reduced the cortical latency. This finding is parallel with the r elief of the symptoms.