Medial plantar nerve: normative parameters of an electroneuromyographic study in adults

Abstract

Background. The study of the sensitive portion of the medial plantar nerve is relevant not only in the examination of patients with tibial nerve mononeuropathy or its branches, but also in the diagnosis of polyneuropathies.Objective: to analyze the normative parameters of the sensory potential recorded during the study of the medial plantar nerve by the orthodromic method in healthy adults.Materials and methods. 126 sensitive fibers of the medial plantar nerves were studied on the Dantec Keypoint G4 device (Denmark) in 63 healthy individuals (31 men and 32 women; age from 20 to 80 years). 3 groups were identified taking into account age: group 1 included healthy people aged 20 to 39 years (n = 23); group 2 consisted of people aged 40 to 60 years (n = 20); and 3 – older than 60 years (n = 20). The parameters of the sensory potential of the medial plantar nerve are analyzed.Results. The sensory potential in the study of the sensitive portion of the medial plantar nerve was registered in all 126 healthy subjects. Comparative statistical analysis did not demonstrate significant differences between groups 1–3 in the values of such parameters of the sensory potential as the latency of the onset, the duration of the negative phase and the rate of propagation of excitation. At the same time, in groups 2 and 3, the magnitude of the amplitude from peak to peak of the sensory potential was significantly lower compared to group 1, and averaged 8.92 and 7.86 MV, respectively.Conclusion. Knowledge of the regulatory parameters will allow expanding the use of electroneuromyography of the sensitive portion of the medial plantar nerve in clinical and research practice.

Keywords

• medial plantar nerve
• sensitive portion
• electroneuromyography
• sensory potential
• normative parameters
• orthodromic method