Differential examination, diagnosis and management for tingling in toes: fellow's case problem.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of chronic exertional compartment syndrome can be challenging as other pathologies involving bone, muscle, nerve and vascular structures can mimic the syndrome. The purpose of this Fellow's Case Problem is to describe the clinical decision-making and physical therapy differential diagnosis regarding a 25-year-old patient with un-resolved neurovascular complaints following chronic exertional compartment syndrome surgical release. DIAGNOSIS: After surgery, the patient's previous complaint of numbness and tingling in the plantar surfaces of her first and second toes of right foot was still present. The patient's concordant symptoms in toes were reproduced proximally in the lumbar spine and distally in the tarsal tunnel. DISCUSSION: The lumbar spine can refer symptoms to the lower extremities and needs to be ruled out as the source of the patient's complaint whenever neurovascular symptoms such as numbness and tingling are present. The discovery of the relationship of the lumbar spine with the tingling in the toes addressed one of the patient's primary concerns that was not resolved from the surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.