Bed footboard peroneal and tibial neuropathy. A further unusual type of Saturday night palsy

An uncommon cause of bilateral tibial and peroneal compression neuropathy is reported. After taking alcohol and drugs, a young heroin-addicted man lay unconscious overnight in supine position, with both legs crossing the wooden board at the end of the bed, the posterior aspect of the flexed knees pressing against its edge. The following day, he had weakness of foot flexion and extension and a sensory loss consistent with a bilateral tibial and peroneal neuropathy. Symptoms resolved rapidly in the left side; in the right side, a conduction block was still demonstrable 3 weeks later.