A Case of Idiopathic Peripheral Neuropathy Related to a Running Injury Treated Successfully with Acupuncture

Idiopathic peripheral neuropathy lacks a specific cause. The risk of developing this condition increases with age and can seriously affect a patient’s quality of life. Symptoms relate to whichever nerves are damaged and may progress slowly or remain unchanged after onset. No cure exists. Notably, acupuncture has proven efficacy in nerve regeneration and nerve function improvement. This case presentation describes a 60-year-old male regular runner who developed right-sided drop foot after completing a marathon in June 2016. He was subsequently diagnosed as having a deep fibular nerve injury. After two months of physical rehabilitation, the right ankle remained dropped, with accompanying weakness and tightness in the anterior part of the right leg. In August 2016, the man commenced four months of electroacupuncture, three times a week. He experienced an obvious improvement in the velocity of motor nerve transduction and in F-wave testing. Moreover, there were marked improvements for the right ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in the supine (120o to 100o ) and seated (15o to 30o ) positions. The man resumed jogging in March 2017. Acupuncture may facilitate functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury.