A Case of Painful Legs and Moving Toes Syndrome Successfully Treated with Spinal Cord Stimulation Therapy

Painful legs and moving toes syndrome (PLMT) lacks clear diagnostic criteria. Some reports have described possible causes of PLMT. However, in most cases, the etiology is not clear and the therapeutic response is typically poor.

A 49-year-old woman underwent osteosynthesis surgery for a bimalleolar fracture of the left ankle joint. After the surgery, she experienced persistent pain in the left ankle joint along with the appearance of involuntary movements of the left lower extremity. She was diagnosed as a case of PLMT. Since the pain and involuntary movements were refractory to medication, she was administered a trial of spinal cord stimulation (SCS). She experienced immediate complete resolution of symptoms after the trial stimulation. Subsequently, we implanted a permanent SCS device. As of the 8-month follow-up, there has been no flare-up of symptoms and she is able to walk without support.

We describe a patient in which SCS was effective in treating PLMT syndrome.