Saphenous nerve conduction in healthy subjects.

Saphenous nerve conduction was studied in 40 healthy subjects utilizing a slight modification of the method described by Wainapel et al. The mean values obtained were as follows: distal sensory latency, 2.9 +/- 0.3 msec for 10 cm distance; conduction velocity, 46.6 +/- 3.5 m/sec; and amplitude of sensory nerve action potential, 10.7 +/- 4.3 microV. The technique should be useful in the electrodiagnostic differentiation between lumbar root (L3, L4) lesions and postganglionic lesions such as lumbar plexus and femoral nerve lesions and entrapment neuropathy of the saphenous nerve.