A comparative study evoking a sensory action potential from the medial and lateral plantar nerves using the probe and ring method of stimulation

Nerve conduction studies (NCS) aid in the detection of foot nerve pathologies. However, there has been a debate on method of plantar nerves stimulation that is more effective; the ring method of stimulation or probe method of stimulation. This study aims at determining the one method that is more effective among the two methods of stimulating for eliciting proper responses. Thirty healthy adults, aged 19 to 55 years, free of any neurological disease were the subjects of the study. Values considered for determining the effectiveness of the stimulating technique were mean amplitudes of the evoked responses from medial and lateral plantar nerves. A significant increase in amplitude difference was noted in favor of the probe stimulation method. The amplitude difference noted in favor of the probe method of stimulation was double the values elicited by the ring method of stimulation in both the medial and lateral plantar nerves. Results suggest that the direct probe method of stimulation may be a more effective method of stimulating for the medial and lateral plantar nerves studies.