Weak ankles. A study of common peroneal entrapment neuropathy.

Twenty-three patients were seen with entrapment neuropathy in a two-and-a-half-year period. Symptoms consisted of pain, paresis, and paraesthesia in the distribution of the common peroneal nerve. Some degree of paresis was often present, which in five patients was severe enough to cause drop foot. In 20 patients decompression of the entrapped nerve at the neck of the fibula was quickly and completely successful. It is suggested that the ankle weakness which frequently follows sprains and other forced inversion injuries may often be at least partially due to entrapment of the common peroneal nerve.