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I have just heard from a friend that his son (approx 19 years old) has been diagnosed with peroneal nerve injury. They are at loss to understand how this has happened and are asking me if I can recommend any course of treatment.

I have no experience of this and searches on this and other forums has yielded nothing. Can anyone offer any advice that I can pass on.

They do not live me so I have not seen the young man in question, the diagnosis has come from the consultant to whom he was referred.

Is his youth in his favour and can some of the damage repair?

Do boots or braces really help?

Many thanks for your comments

Sussex hen

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Do they have a drop foot?

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This sounds like CMT, that is Charcot Marie Toot Disease or Peroneal Muscular Atrophy. Whether it is or not, the symptoms and treatments are going to be similar. There is a support network at http://www.cmt.org.uk/index.php and they will be very helpful to your friend's son, presuming that he lives in the UK. For a very good synopsis of the disease, go to http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/c...arie_tooth.htm . Have a read and see if it relates. There is a lot of help out there.

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There is a classic injury to the common peroneal (fibula) nerve as it winds around the head/neck of the fibula. It is one of the few places in humans where a major nerve trunk is "available" and prone to damage (the other obvious one being the ulna nerve around the medial epicondyle of the humerus. If this has been damaged, usually by neuroptmesis, is is an apalling injury, resulting in loss of motor control to the anterior and medial compartments, sensory loss to the dorsum, and perhaps forgotten sometimes, the autonomic stuff to blood vessels etc. It is a revolting unjury, and I sincerely hope for his sake it is not the case. I agree with Bill, it sounds more like peroneal muscular atrophy. Rob

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I have just spoken again to my friend and found out that he had Guillain - Barre syndrome when he was 17 (he is also a lot older than I thought - in late 20's (they are not close friends)). Whilst it may be easy to hang your hat on this it does appear that there is a history of neurological problems. Apparently the current problem started when a friend of noticed that his foot dragged - so yes the foot has dropped.

I was contacted as they had heard that orthotics may be helpful but my own thought are that with the foot drop he will need an ankle brace to support the weakness here and that an orthotic alone although it may help to support the foot will not address the problem.

The young man appears not to have any pain but does have sensation and has not had any traumatic injury to the knee. CMT is certainly interesting and I will follow his progress. He is due to have some tests in July.

Although I am not directly involved it is proving to be a very interesting diagnosis and for sure a learning experience.

Many thanks. Will keep you posted.