title: [The sural nerve as a contributing factor in chronic achillodynia - an explorative ultrasound study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Achillodynia is often seen as a sign of repetitive strain of dorsal tissue of the calf. A neurogene component is also considered for this disease pattern. This association haven`t been investigated yet. The major goal of this study was the investigation of the dynamics of the sural nerve by ultrasonography with regard to movements of ankle, knee and hip. This concerns the physiological situation and pathological aspects of achillodynia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross sectional study without a blinding-assay 29 sural nerves of 15 healthy subjects (group A) and 6 sural nerves of 3 subjects with pain or dysaesthesia at the achilles tendon or the lateral foot (group B) have been investigated by diagnostic ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sural nerve has an average size of 3.7 mm (2) (± 0.05 mm (2)) for healthy subjects and 4.1 mm (2) (± 0.1 mm (2)) for those with achillodynia. The lateral (Mlat = 3.89 mm) and anterio-posterior (Map = 0.56 mm) movement of the sural nerve has a statistic significantly greater extent by the whole range of motion of dorsalflexion and plantarflexion than by flexion and extension of the kneejoint (Mlat: p = 0.008; Map: p = 0.0115) or by abduction and adduction of the hipjoint (Mlat: p = 0.0025; Map: p = 0.002) for group A. Within this study, no statistic significant differences between both groups could be observed regarding the dynamics and concerning the size of the sural nerve.
authors.affiliation: Hochschule Osnabrück, Fachrichtung Physiotherapie, Osnabrück. maria.wilmes@online.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilmes
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Piekartz
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation; D055815:Young Adult