Can someone tell me about Tarsal tunnel syndrome? Treatments?

I realize I am replying well past a year after you made your post. You may have things all figured out by now. 🙂 I kind of hope so! However, just in case my experience would be helpful to you I thought I would share it. I was just up at Mayo in November of 2020 to have a spinal consult And a neurological workup. I was diagnosed with large and small fiber neuropathy. Everything was worse on the left then on the right and there seem to be a concentration around the tibial nerve. At this point no one mentioned tarsal tunnel syndrome. They did, however, tell me that some of my symptoms were not typical of peripheral neuropathy and recommended I see a foot and ankle surgeon. I had already seen three different podiatrists with no Solutions. I saw the Foot and Ankle surgeon two weeks ago. He tapped four different places on my leg and sent me through the roof. This is when he told me about tarsal tunnel syndrome. He said the nerves are pinched or something. He said that my EMG supports the tarsal tunnel diagnosis but no one at Mayo mentioned it. Maybe because my nerves work just fine until you tap on them. Nobody talked on those nerves, they only stuck needles and some of them. Not that that is an experience I enjoyed! I am still trying to figure out how to put all of this information together into a treatment plan and I imagine I will bounce between my foot and ankle surgeon and my neurologist for a few more appointments before that is all taken care of. My foot and ankle surgeon mentioned that surgery is a possible solution but I have some minor color changes and swelling in that left foot that leads him to believe I could have some minor CRPS. Doing surgery on a body part that has any form of CRPS is a bad idea if you can avoid it. Let me know if you have an update or have found some solutions. 🙂

Hi Jeanniem, after reading your symptoms and diagnosis I am guessing your surgeon was referring to peroneal nerve decompression surgery? I have read of an account on Facebook of someone with similar symptoms minus the CRPS and comparing it to carpal tunnel surgery and it did not sound very invasive, just a few incisions above her ankle to release the nerve and she is 80% improved. Sorry if this is redundant I just wanted to share her success story. Helen

I always appreciate a good success story. 🙂

I have had surgery for TTS 3 times on my left foot/ ankle. Have it in both feet but left one was worse. I still have numbness, tingling, burning. ? To bkelley5. Do you finally swallow all of the concoction with the BSO. I am a little confused. This tingling, burning, driving me crazy. Hate the side effects of gabapentin.Thank You.

@kp6350 & @bkelley5 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, a place to give and get support.

@bkelley5 Wow, you found a remedy and you are now pain free. May I ask why it is thought that this remedy is helpful?

@kp6350 Three surgeries is a lot and numbness, tingling, burning sounds hard.

Below I have linked a discussion you may wish to read and introduce yourself. Members like @avmcbellar @artist01 @faithwalker007 @jakedduck1 @sunnyflower
- Living with Neuropathy - Welcome to the group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/living-with-neuropathy-welcome-to-group/

Members part of this discussion that may be able to offer support are @summertime4 @lorirenee1 @newzbug @jeanniem @helennicola

Has your provider suggested any alternative to gabapentin? Are there any alternative therapies that you have tried such as acupuncture etc.?

Has anyone had tarsal tunnel or some other nerve damage in foot? I've done a lot of research on the condition and nerves, but I'm interested in hearing what others have experienced. If so, I'd be interested in hearing your symptoms, what caused it, and what ended up being the solution. Thanks in advance.

Hi @sunflower1 You will see I added your comment to a conversation about tarsal tunnel syndrome so you could connect with other members like @summertime4 @lorirenee1 @newzbug @jeanniem @helennicola.

Can you share with us your story and what your symptoms are?

Thank you so much @amandaburnett! Yes, July 2020 my flip flop got caught and my big toe and foot flexed under me (plantar flexion injury). I was diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of big toe and placed in post-op shoe for 4 wks. I also had bruising all along the inside of 1st metatarsal. When I came out of the shoe, I had midfoot pain with going down stairs, squatting, uneven ground, and for the next several months pain at various places along medial aspect of foot and swelling in foot. The doctors I saw were so dismissive and COVID was surging, so I didn't seek a 2nd opinion until this spring as pain was worsening and becoming more constant. Pain is medial midfoot, sometimes sole of foot and sometimes behind medial malleolus if flared up. MRI shows atrophy of foot intrinsics innervated by medial plantar and lateral plantar nerves, and EMG shows that motor function of those nerves is impaired but sensory function is fine. My doctor gave up on me, and I had to push to see specialist, but it's been 5 months since I first reached out for help and still trying to get to someone who can help. Tinel's is negative. No sign of entrapment on MRI or nerve ultrasound. I'm not very old and used to being active. My doctor said I'm near the end of the window of opportunity to save the muscle before it dies from lack of nerve supply, yet I'm still trying to find someone to help. Any advice welcome. I find it's very difficult to advocate for yourself with doctors without having them just give up on you.

How are you doing now? Did you find the solution for you?

Sort of. My neurologist scoffed at the tarsal tunnel dx, saying that was a no brainer after the EMG. Most of my docs disagree with one another and I don't have a lot off faith left in them. On a positive note, I have found great relief in massage. I found a great massage therapist. She told me my glutes were so tight it was hard to tell the difference between muscle and bone by touch, alone. She also noted the muscles in my quads were so full of knots they were bumpy. I began getting weekly massages and they have helped more than anything else I have tried. Who knew??