Entrapment of the saphenous nerve at the adductor canal affecting the infrapatellar branch - a report on two cases.

OBJECTIVE: To present 2 cases of entrapment of the saphenous nerve at the adductor canal affecting the infrapatellar branch, and to provide insight into the utilization of nerve tension testing for the diagnosis of nerve entrapments in a clinical setting.

RATIONALE: Saphenous nerve entrapments are a very rare condition within today's body of literature, and the diagnosis remains controversial.

CLINICAL FEATURES: Two cases of chronic knee pain that were unresponsive to previous treatment. The patients were diagnosed with an entrapment of the saphenous nerve at the adductor canal affecting the infrapatellar branch using nerve tension techniques along with a full clinical examination.

INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Manual therapy and rehabilitation programs were initiated including soft tissue therapy, nerve gliding techniques and gait retraining which resulted in 90% improvement in one case and complete resolution of symptoms in the second.

CONCLUSION: Nerve tension testing may prove to be an aid in the diagnosis of saphenous nerve entrapments within a clinical setting in order to decrease time to diagnosis and proper treatment.