The Tarsal Tunnel, the narrow space on the inside of your ankle or the bump located where the inner leg meets the foot, has a ligament connecting the bones and protecting the arteries, veins, tendons and nerves in the tunnel. Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (TTS) is like carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects the hand and wrists, but is less common. TTS is caused when the tibial nerve, running down the back of your leg, becomes compressed, producing initial symptoms such as numbness and a tingling sensation.
Over time, the compression of the nerve can cause more severe symptoms such as shooting pains and burning sensations, which can sometimes be felt all the way from the ankle to the foot, heel, arch and toes. Symptoms can come on suddenly and made worse during walking, running or exercising. If left untreated, permanent nerve damage may occur.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should seek medical attention. Your doctor will conduct certain tests to see if you have TTS, including simply tapping the area to reproduce a tingling sensation (called Tinel's Sign) or applying pressure see if there is a mass. Your doctor may also take x-rays and MRIs as well as certain nerve tests with electrical currents (called electromyography) and nerve conduction velocity tests.
If you are diagnosed with TTS, your doctor will likely recommend non-surgical treatment such as icing, resting the ankle, putting on a cast or brace or orthotic shoe (this alleviates pressure by slightly inverting foot) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as Advil or Motrin. Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy. Slightly more invasive procedures, such as injections of corticosteroids or nerve block agents, may eventually be recommended. If none of the above alleveiate your symptoms, your physician may recommend surgery that decompresses the nerve and resolves the compression.
So, how did you get TTS? Anything that puts pressure on the nerve in the Tarsal Tunnel area can cause TTS, including cysts, varicose veins, bone spurs, tumors, diabetes and arthritis as well as injuries like an ankle sprain. If you have flat feet or fallen foot arches, you may also be subject to greater than normal pressure in that area.
Could your TTS be work related? It is possible. Examples of work related TTS injuries include:
- Spraining your ankle at work because of an obstruction or defect in your work area, such as a hole or decompression in the floor area that could not be seen with the naked eye and which caused you to twist your ankle.
- Repetitive tasks that are not ordinary, such as walking on uneven surfaces at construction sites and railroads yards or being required to pivot on your foot several times a day in order to retrieve the next item in an assembly line.
In these instances, you would be entitled to benefits under the Illinois Workers' Compensation law, which provides full medical benefits. Note, however, if you get TTS during your job but it is from ordinary behavior such as standing and walking short distances, your injury will usually not be covered under Illinois Worker's Compensation law.
If you believe you are entitled to workers' compensation benefits, you should consult with an experienced workers' compensation attorney to ensure that you get all of the benefits you are entitled to. If you are concerned about the cost of an attorney, note that attorneys who handle these types of cases work on a contingency basis. This means that unless you recover something, you will owe your attorney nothing. In Illinois, lawyer fees are capped at 20% of the recovery amount. Also, your attorney will cover costs and expenses so you should pay nothing at all unless you recover. Again, if you do not recover anything, you do not owe your attorney anything.
A TTS injury can affect your daily life and you should seek to ensure that you are compensated for your medical bills, at the very least. An experienced workers' compensation attorney will walk you through the process and fight for your rights.
To learn more visit, http://www.findgreatlawyers.com/tarsal-tunnel-illinois-work-injury-attorneys.htm.