Understanding Sural Nerve Injury

Have you heard of a sural nerve injury? Our 15-year-old daughter, an equestrian rider, was bucked off a horse, and her foot got stuck in the stirrup. Now, she’s experiencing numbness and tingling in her ankle and foot, and the diagnosis is sural nerve injury. What exactly does this mean, and will she recover?

The sural nerve, also called the short saphenous nerve, is a sensory nerve responsible for transmitting sensory information. When the sural nerve is damaged or compressed, it can lead to symptoms such as burning pain, reduced sensation, or even numbness.

This nerve runs from the back of the knee down the outer side of the lower leg. It travels along the surface of the lower third of the leg, passing behind the ankle bone (malleolus) and continuing along the outer edge of the heel to the base of the fifth (baby) toe.

Injury typically occurs where the nerve is more superficial, making it vulnerable to compression or trauma. The sural nerve provides sensory function to the skin and soft tissue in the lower third of the leg, so any numbness, tingling, or burning pain in this area points to a sural nerve injury.

Most cases of sural nerve injuries, particularly those caused by trauma, have a good prognosis with proper treatment. Your daughter’s doctor can provide guidance on managing the injury and promoting healing over time.

Vijay Jotwani, MD, et al. Cutaneous Sural Nerve Injury After Lateral Ankle Sprain: A Case Report. In The Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine. March 2008. vol. 25. No. 3. Pp. 126-128.