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Effect of hip and knee position on nerve conduction in the common fibular nerve
Peter Kaas Broadhurst1, Lawrence R Robinson1
1University of Toronto, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Introduction:
The aim of this study was to measure the influence that hip and knee position have on routine fibular motor nerve conduction studies.
Methods:
Healthy subjects under age 40 were recruited (n = 24) to have fibular nerve conduction studies completed in various positions, using hip extension-knee extension as a control.
Results:
A mean increase in conduction velocity of 2.5 m/s across the knee (P = 0.020) was seen during hip flexion compared with hip extension. A mean decrease in velocity of 1.6 m/s through the leg segment (P = 0.016) was seen during knee flexion compared with knee extension.
Conclusions:
This study shows that the optimal position of the leg during fibular nerve studies is with the hip in flexion and knee in extension, to more accurately reflect nerve length for velocity calculations. This may have implications for other peripheral nerves with respect to proximal joint position affecting calculated velocity. Muscle Nerve 56: 519-521, 2017.
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