Manual Therapy
Volume 13, Issue 2 , Pages 103-111 , April 2008

A review of plantar heel pain of neural origin: Differential diagnosis and management

Received 18 January 2006 ,Revised 28 December 2006 ,Accepted 15 January 2007.

References 

  1. Acevedo JI, Beskin JL. Complications of plantar fascia rupture associated with corticosteroid injection. Foot and Ankle International. 1998;19(2):91–97
  2. Aldridge T. Diagnosing heel pain in adults. American Family Physician. 2004;70(2):332–338
  3. Alshami A, Babri A, Souvlis T, Coppieters MW. Biomechanical evaluation of two clinical tests for plantar heel pain: the dorsiflexion-eversion test for tarsal tunnel syndrome and the Windlass test for plantar fasciitis. Foot and Ankle International 2007;28(4), doi:10.3113/FAI.2007.0000.
  4. Arenson DJ, Cosentino GL, Suran SM. The inferior calcaneal nerve: an anatomical study. Journal of the American Podiatry Association. 1980;70(11):552–560
  5. Barrett SJ, O’Malley R. Plantar fasciitis and other causes of heel pain. American Family Physician. 1999;59(8):2200–2206
  6. Baxter DE. Compressive neuropathies of the foot and ankle. Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine. 1994;2(1):18–23
  7. Baxter DE, Pfeffer GB. Treatment of chronic heel pain by surgical release of the first branch of the lateral plantar nerve. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 1992;(279):229–236
  8. Baxter DE, Pfeffer GB, Thigpen M. Chronic heel pain: treatment rationale. Orthopedic Clinics of North America. 1989;20(4):563–569
  9. Baxter DE, Thigpen CM. Heel pain—operative results. Foot and Ankle. 1984;5(1):16–25
  10. Beito SB, Krych SM, Harkless LB. Recalcitrant heel pain: traumatic fibrosis vs. heel neuroma. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. 1989;79(7):336–339
  11. Bordelon RL. Subcalcaneal pain: a method of evaluation and plan for treatment. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 1983;(177):49–53
  12. Brown C. A review of subcalcaneal heel pain and plantar fasciitis. Australian Family Physician 1996;25(6):875–81, 884–5.
  13. Butler DS. The sensitive nervous system. Unley: Noigroup Publications; 2000;pp. 398–423 [Chapter 15]
  14. Conflitti JM, Tarquinio TA. Operative outcome of partial plantar fasciectomy and neurolysis to the nerve of the abductor digiti minimi muscle for recalcitrant plantar fasciitis. Foot and Ankle International. 2004;25(7):482–487
  15. Coppieters MW, Alshami AM, Babri AS, Souvlis T, Kippers V, Hodges PW. Strain and excursion of the sciatic, tibial, and plantar nerves during a modified straight leg raising test. Journal of Orthopaedic Research. 2006;24(9):1883–1889
  16. Crawford F, Thomson C. Interventions for treating plantar heel pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Online). 2003;(3):CD000416
  17. Daniels TR, Lau JT, Hearn TC. The effects of foot position and load on tibial nerve tension. Foot and Ankle International. 1998;19(2):73–78
  18. Davidson MR. Heel neuroma: identification and removal. Journal of the American Podiatry Association. 1977;67(6):431–435
  19. Davidson MR, Copoloff JA. Neuromas of the heel. Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. 1990;7(2):271–288
  20. Davidson MR, Liston H, Jacoby RP, Cohen SJ, Beldon LM, Seidner AN, et al. Heel neuroma. Journal of the American Podiatry Association. 1977;67(8):589–594
  21. Dellon AL. Deciding when heel pain is of neural origin. The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. 2001;40(5):341–345
  22. Dellon AL. Management of peripheral nerve problems in the upper and lower extremity using quantitative sensory testing. Hand Clinics. 1999;15(4):697–715
  23. Doxey GE. Calcaneal pain: a review of various disorders. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. 1987;9(1):25–32
  24. Fredericson M, Standage S, Chou L, Matheson G. Lateral plantar nerve entrapment in a competitive gymnast. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 2001;11(2):111–114
  25. Goecker RM, Banks AS. Analysis of release of the first branch of the lateral plantar nerve. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. 2000;90(6):281–286
  26. Goolsby MJ. Diagnosis and treatment of heel pain. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. 2003;15(11):485–486
  27. Gray H, Standring SM, Ellis H, Berkovitz BKB. Gray's anatomy: the anatomical basis of clinical practice. 39th ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2005;
  28. Greening J, Lynn B, Leary R, Warren L, O’Higgins P, Hall-Craggs M. The use of ultrasound imaging to demonstrate reduced movement of the median nerve during wrist flexion in patients with non-specific arm pain. Journal of Hand Surgery—British and European Volume. 2001;26(5):401–406
  29. Hendrix CL, Jolly GP, Garbalosa JC, Blume P, DosRemedios E. Entrapment neuropathy: the etiology of intractable chronic heel pain syndrome. The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. 1998;37(4):273–279
  30. Henricson AS, Westlin NE. Chronic calcaneal pain in athletes: entrapment of the calcaneal nerve?. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 1984;12(2):152–154
  31. Hurwitz SH. Plantar heel pain in the adult. Hosp Pract (Off Ed). 1997;32(9):81–8386–8, 91–2
  32. Johnson ER, Kirby K, Lieberman JS. Lateral plantar nerve entrapment: foot pain in a power lifter. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 1992;20(5):619–620
  33. Johnston MR. Nerve entrapment causing heel pain. Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. 1994;11(4):617–624
  34. Jolly GP, Zgonis T, Hendrix CL. Neurogenic heel pain. Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. 2005;22(1):101–113
  35. Juliano PJ, Harris TG. Plantar fasciitis, entrapment neuropathies, and tarsal tunnel syndrome: current up to date treatment. Current Opinion in Orthopaedics. 2004;15(2):49–54
  36. Karr SD. Subcalcaneal heel pain. The Orthopedic Clinics of North America. 1994;25(1):161–175
  37. Kenzora JE. The painful heel syndrome: an entrapment neuropathy. Bulletin of the Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute. 1987;47(2):178–189
  38. Kinoshita M, Okuda R, Morikawa J, Jotoku T, Abe M. The dorsiflexion-eversion test for diagnosis of tarsal tunnel syndrome. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery—American Volume. 2001;83-A(12):1835–1839
  39. Kopell HP, Thompson WA. Peripheral entrapment neuropathies of the lower extremity. The New England Journal of Medicine. 1960;14(262):56–60
  40. Lau JT, Daniels TR. Effects of tarsal tunnel release and stabilization procedures on tibial nerve tension in a surgically created pes planus foot. Foot and Ankle International. 1998;19(11):770–777
  41. Lau JT, Stavrou P. Posterior tibial nerve—primary. Foot and Ankle Clinics. 2004;9(2):271–285
  42. Lemont H, Ammirati KM, Usen N. Plantar fasciitis: a degenerative process (fasciosis) without inflammation. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. 2003;93(3):234–237
  43. Louisia S, Masquelet AC. The medial and inferior calcaneal nerves: an anatomic study. Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy. 1999;21(3):169–173
  44. Magda P, Latov N, Renard MV, Sander HW. Quantitative sensory testing: high sensitivity in small fiber neuropathy with normal NCS/EMG. Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System. 2002;7(4):225–228
  45. Marui T, Yamamoto T, Akisue T, Hitora T, Kawamoto T, Nagira K, et al. Neurilemmoma in the foot as a cause of heel pain: a report of two cases. Foot and Ankle International. 2004;25(2):107–111
  46. Mastaglia FL. Tibial nerve entrapment in the popliteal fossa. Muscle and Nerve. 2000;23(12):1883–1886
  47. May TJ, Judy TA, Conti M, Cowan JE. Current treatment of plantar fasciitis. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2002;1(5):278–284
  48. McCarthy DJ, Gorecki GE. The anatomical basis of inferior calcaneal lesions: a cryomicrotomy study. Journal of the American Podiatry Association. 1979;69(9):527–536
  49. McCluskey LF, Webb LB. Compression and entrapment neuropathies of the lower extremity. Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. 1999;16(1):97–125vii
  50. Meyer J, Kulig K, Landel R. Differential diagnosis and treatment of subcalcaneal heel pain: a case report. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. 2002;32(3):114–122[discussion 122–4]
  51. Murphy PC, Baxter DE. Nerve entrapment of the foot and ankle in runners. Clinics in Sports Medicine. 1985;4(4):753–763
  52. Oztuna V, Ozge A, Eskandari MM, Colak M, Golpinar A, Kuyurtar F. Nerve entrapment in painful heel syndrome. Foot and Ankle International. 2002;23(3):208–211
  53. Park TA, Del Toro DR. Isolated inferior calcaneal neuropathy. Muscle and Nerve. 1996;19(1):106–108
  54. Peer S, Kiechl G, Bonder G. Nerve compression syndromes. In:  Peer S,  Bodner G editor. High-resolution sonography of the peripheral nervous system. Berlin: Springer; 2003;p. 37–59
  55. Peri G. The “critical zones” of entrapment of the nerves of the lower limb. Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy. 1991;13(2):139–143
  56. Pfeffer GB. Plantar heel pain. In:  Baxter D E editors. The Foot and Ankle in Sport. St. Louis: Mosby; 1995;p. 195–206
  57. Pfeffer GB. Plantar heel pain. Instructional Course Lectures. 2001;50:521–531
  58. Pfeffer GB, Baxter DE. Surgery of the adult heel. In:  Jahss M H editors. Disorders of the foot and ankle: medical and surgical management. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1991;p. 1396–1416
  59. Przylucki H, Jones CL. Entrapment neuropathy of muscle branch of lateral plantar nerve: a cause of heel pain. Journal of the American Podiatry Association. 1981;71(3):119–124
  60. Raikin SM, Schon LC. Nerve entrapment in the foot and ankle of an athlete. Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review. 2000;8(4):387–394
  61. Rondhuis JJ, Huson A. The first branch of the lateral plantar nerve and heel pain. Acta Morphologica Neerlando-Scandinavica. 1986;24(4):269–279
  62. Rose JD, Malay DS, Sorrento DL. Neurosensory testing of the medial calcaneal and medial plantar nerves in patients with plantar heel pain. The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. 2003;42(4):173–177
  63. Sammarco GJ, Helfrey RB. Surgical treatment of recalcitrant plantar fasciitis. Foot and Ankle International. 1996;17(9):520–526
  64. Savastano AA. Surgical neurectomy for the treatment of resistant painful heel. Rhode Island Medical Journal. 1985;68(8):371–372
  65. Schepsis AA, Leach RE, Gorzyca J. Plantar fasciitis: etiology, treatment, surgical results, and review of the literature. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 1991;(266):185–196
  66. Schon LC. Nerve entrapment, neuropathy, and nerve dysfunction in athletes. The Orthopedic Clinics of North America. 1994;25(1):47–59
  67. Schon LC, Baxter DE. Neuropathies of the foot and ankle in athletes. Clinics in Sports Medicine. 1990;9(2):489–509
  68. Schon LC, Glennon TP, Baxter DE. Heel pain syndrome: electrodiagnostic support for nerve entrapment. Foot and Ankle. 1993;14(3):129–135
  69. Sellman JR. Plantar fascia rupture associated with corticosteroid injection. Foot and Ankle International. 1994;15(7):376–381
  70. Shacklock MO. Clinical application of neurodynamics. In:  Shacklock MO editors. Moving in on pain. Chatswood: Butterworth-Heinemann; 1995;p. 123–131
  71. Shacklock MO. Clinical neurodynamics: a new system of musculoskeletal treatment. Edinburgh, New York: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann; 2005;
  72. Shandles ID, Pruchniewski J, Reynolds KL. Heel neuroma: the enigma of recalcitrant heel pain and innovative approach highlighting sixty surgical cases and a review of two hundred and fifty-seven symptomatic but non-surgical cases. The Foot. 2002;12:10–20
  73. Shy ME, Frohman EM, So YT, Arezzo JC, Cornblath DR, Giuliani MJ, et al. Quantitative sensory testing: report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2003;60(6):898–904
  74. Siao P, Cros DP. Quantitative sensory testing. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. 2003;14(2):261–286
  75. Spiegl PV, Johnson KA. Heel pain syndrome: which treatments to choose?. Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine. 1984;1(11):66–71
  76. Tassler PL, Dellon AL. Pressure perception in the normal lower extremity and in the tarsal tunnel syndrome. Muscle and Nerve. 1996;19(3):285–289
  77. Trepman E, Kadel NJ, Chisholm K, Razzano L. Effect of foot and ankle position on tarsal tunnel compartment pressure. Foot and Ankle International. 1999;20(11):721–726
  78. Watson TS, Anderson RB, Davis WH, Kiebzak GM. Distal tarsal tunnel release with partial plantar fasciotomy for chronic heel pain: an outcome analysis. Foot and Ankle International. 2002;23(6):530–537
  79. Wearing SC, Smeathers JE, Urry SR, Hennig EM, Hills AP. The pathomechanics of plantar fasciitis. Sports Medicine. 2006;36(7):585–611
  80. Willis JD, Carter PM. Tibial nerve entrapment and heel pain caused by a baker's cyst. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. 1998;88(6):310–311
  81. Wong SM, Griffith JF, Hui AC, Tang A, Wong KS. Discriminatory sonographic criteria for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. Arthritis and Rheumatism. 2002;46(7):1914–1921
  82. Yesildag A, Kutluhan S, Sengul N, Koyuncuoglu HR, Oyar O, Guler K, et al. The role of ultrasonographic measurements of the median nerve in the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. Clinical Radiology. 2004;59(10):910–915

PII: S1356-689X(07)00046-X

doi: 10.1016/j.math.2007.01.014

Manual Therapy
Volume 13, Issue 2 , Pages 103-111 , April 2008

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution