Common Peroneal Nerve Dysfunction

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Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

The peroneal nerve is a branching of the sciatic nerve, which supplies movement and sensation to the lower leg, foot and toes. Common peroneal nerve dysfunction is a type of peripheral neuropathy (damage to nerves outside the brain or spinal cord). This condition can affect people of any age.

Involvement of a single nerve, such as the common peroneal nerve, is classed as mononeuropathy. Mononeuropathy implies a local cause of the nerve damage, although systemic conditions may cause isolated nerve injuries (such as occurs with mononeuritis multiplex).

Damage to the nerve destroys the covering of the nerve cells (the myelin sheath) or causes degeneration of the entire nerve cell. There is a loss of muscle control, loss of muscle tone, and eventual loss of muscle mass because of lack of nervous stimulation to the muscles.

Common causes of damage to the peroneal nerve include the following:

• Trauma or injury to the knee
• Fracture of the fibula (a bone of the lower leg)
• Use of a tight plaster cast (or other long-term constriction) of the lower leg
• Habitual leg crossing
• Regularly wearing high boots
• Pressure to the knee from positions during deep sleep or coma
• Injury during knee surgery.

Another risk is being extremely thin or emaciated. Systemic conditions such as diabetic neuropathy or polyarteritis nodosa can also cause damage to the common peroneal nerve. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (hereditary sensorimotor neuropathy) is an inherited disorder that affects all nerves, with peroneal nerve dysfunction apparent early in the disorder.