Symptoms | Peroneus paresis – help from physiotherapy

Symptoms

The most common symptom of peroneal paresis is the loss of strength of the foot lifter. The affected person can no longer actively lift his foot and pulls it behind him while walking. In addition, patients with peroneal paresis stumble more often over their own feet, as they usually no longer notice them.

Sensitivity disorders such as tingling or numbness in the area between the foot and knee can also occur. Due to the loss of strength, compensation is attempted in the area of the knee, hip joint and lumbar spine in order to continue walking. Circumduction, i.e. a swing rotation, is particularly evident in the hip area. Increased muscle tension in the lumbar spine on the affected side can also be added.

Treatment with splint or orthosis

Special splints can be made for the treatment of weakness of dorsiflexion of the foot in case of peroneal lesion. The exact appearance of the splints depends on the manufacturer. It is important that there is a firm support under the sole, from which a pin extends upwards, which is fixed to the outside of the lower leg.

This keeps the foot in the neutral position and prevents a stretching movement that would cause the patient to stumble. Whether the splint is fixed to the side with a simple pin or with a cross-over closure towards the foot depends on the master orthopedist. In general, the patient walks much better with the orthosis and the risk of tripping and falling is reduced.

Healing and prognosis of peroneal paresis

How quickly an improvement in peroneal paresis can be achieved depends on its extent and the underlying cause. If, for example, a stroke or cerebral hemorrhage is the cause of peroneal paresis, these are usually associated with numerous other symptoms, which must also be taken into account in the therapy. With regard to peroneal paresis, an improvement can usually be achieved with the help of a splint and appropriate therapy.

If the cause of peroneal paresis is a nerve constriction in the area of the spine, the problem must be addressed by physiotherapy or, if necessary, surgery. Therapy should then be continued as described above. It is not possible to predict exactly how long the lesion will last.

If the paralysis is based solely on a disturbance in the course of the nerve, such as the narrowing in the area of the intervertebral holes, the first signs of improved muscle activity can often be observed after a few weeks or months. In the case of a central disorder, on the other hand, there is a possibility that peroneal paresis will persist. The more comprehensive the patient’s therapy is and the more often the muscles are trained independently, the higher the probability that the nerve will regenerate.