Same-Day Appointments
Get evaluated when burning, tingling, numbness, or inner ankle pain starts affecting your walking or standing comfort.
Get evaluated when burning, tingling, numbness, or inner ankle pain starts affecting your walking or standing comfort.
Trusted podiatry care for nerve-related foot pain, tarsal tunnel symptoms, numbness, tingling, and mobility problems.
Our team can help you confirm coverage and next steps before your visit.
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About Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
The tarsal tunnel is a narrow passage on the inside of the ankle. The posterior tibial nerve travels through this space with tendons, blood vessels, and supporting tissue. When the nerve becomes compressed or irritated, symptoms may travel into the heel, arch, sole, or toes.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome can feel like burning, electric pain, pins and needles, numbness, or a deep ache. Symptoms often worsen with prolonged standing, walking, running, tight shoes, swelling, or foot positions that increase pressure on the nerve.
The posterior tibial nerve may become irritated inside the tarsal tunnel.
Symptoms may feel electric, prickly, hot, numb, or uncomfortable along the foot.
Standing, walking, stairs, or long activity may increase nerve irritation.
Treatment depends on what is compressing or irritating the nerve.
The posterior tibial nerve helps provide sensation and muscle control to parts of the foot. When compressed near the inner ankle, symptoms can spread into the arch, heel, sole, or toes.
Because nerve symptoms can overlap with diabetic neuropathy, lumbar nerve irritation, plantar fasciitis, Morton’s neuroma, and other foot conditions, a careful exam is important before choosing treatment.
Anatomy Guide
The tarsal tunnel sits behind the bony bump on the inside of the ankle. The posterior tibial nerve passes through this tunnel and branches into the bottom of the foot.
When swelling, flatfoot strain, a cyst, varicose vein, scar tissue, tendon inflammation, bone spur, injury, or another structure narrows this space, the nerve can become irritated or compressed.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms can be mild at first and gradually become more frequent. Some patients notice symptoms mostly after activity, while others have discomfort even at rest or at night.
Pain may feel hot, electric, sharp, aching, or shooting along the inner ankle, arch, sole, heel, or toes.
Many patients describe prickling, crawling, buzzing, or “pins and needles” sensations in the foot.
The bottom of the foot, heel, or toes may feel numb, dull, or less sensitive than usual.
In more advanced cases, nerve irritation may affect foot strength, balance, gait, or walking confidence.
Symptom Patterns
Tarsal tunnel syndrome may appear suddenly after an injury or develop gradually as pressure builds around the nerve. The pattern helps your provider identify whether swelling, trauma, foot structure, inflammation, or another cause may be involved.
Acute symptoms may follow a sprain, fracture, direct trauma, sudden swelling, or inflammatory flare. Chronic symptoms may build over months due to flat feet, tight shoes, diabetes, varicose veins, tendon irritation, arthritis, or a space-occupying lesion.
Symptoms may begin quickly after ankle trauma, swelling, fracture, sprain, or sudden inflammation that increases pressure around the nerve.
Symptoms may develop gradually when the nerve is compressed over time by foot structure, swelling, tendon irritation, tight footwear, or medical conditions.
Burning, tingling, or numbness may worsen after long standing, walking, running, stairs, or work activity.
Nerve irritation can sometimes cause discomfort at rest, especially when compression has been present for a longer period.
Diagnosis and Evaluation
Diagnosis starts with locating the symptoms, checking nerve sensitivity, evaluating foot structure, and looking for the reason the nerve may be irritated.
Your provider reviews burning, tingling, numbness, pain triggers, injuries, footwear, and medical risks.
Sensation, tenderness, muscle strength, reflexes, and symptom reproduction may be checked.
Flatfoot, arch collapse, pronation, shoe pressure, gait, and ankle alignment may be evaluated.
X-rays, ultrasound, MRI, EMG, or nerve conduction testing may be considered when clinically needed.
Your plan may include footwear, orthotics, therapy, medication, injections, immobilization, or surgical review.
Why Early Care Matters
When the posterior tibial nerve remains irritated, symptoms may become more frequent and harder to calm down. Burning, tingling, numbness, and walking discomfort may begin to interfere with daily activity.
Long-term compression may increase the risk of persistent nerve symptoms. Early evaluation can help identify the cause before nerve irritation becomes more difficult to manage.
Yes. If the nerve remains compressed or irritated, symptoms may continue for months and become harder to resolve.
Long-standing nerve compression can sometimes lead to persistent numbness, pain, or weakness, which is why worsening symptoms should be evaluated.
Yes. Pain, burning, numbness, or weakness can change gait and reduce confidence during standing, walking, or exercise.
Yes. Diabetes can affect nerve health and sensation, making it important to distinguish localized compression from diabetic neuropathy.
At-Home Guidance
Reduce activities that clearly worsen burning, tingling, or numbness. Supportive shoes may help reduce strain on the inner ankle and arch, especially if symptoms are related to flatfoot mechanics.
Avoid tight shoes, aggressive massage over the painful nerve area, and pushing through symptoms that increase with standing or walking. If numbness, weakness, or burning pain is worsening, schedule an evaluation.
Shoes with good arch support and a roomy fit may reduce stress around the inner ankle and foot.
Long standing, running, uneven surfaces, or tight footwear may increase nerve irritation in some patients.
Numbness that spreads, worsens, or affects balance should be evaluated rather than treated as simple soreness.
Reduced sensation can hide injuries or wounds. Foot numbness in diabetic patients should be evaluated promptly.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome FAQ
These answers are educational and cannot replace a personal examination. Treatment depends on symptom severity, nerve findings, foot structure, medical history, and the cause of compression.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome is irritation or compression of the posterior tibial nerve as it passes through the tarsal tunnel near the inside of the ankle.
It may cause burning, tingling, numbness, shooting pain, electric sensations, or weakness in the heel, arch, sole, or toes.
Causes may include flat feet, ankle injury, swelling, arthritis, tendon inflammation, cysts, varicose veins, scar tissue, bone spurs, diabetes, or other nerve-related conditions.
Diagnosis may include a physical exam, nerve-focused testing, gait review, imaging, ultrasound, MRI, EMG, or nerve conduction testing when needed.
Many cases start with conservative care such as footwear changes, orthotics, bracing, therapy, medication, injections, activity modification, or immobilization.
Surgery may be discussed when symptoms are severe, compression is significant, a mass or structural cause is present, or conservative care does not provide enough relief.
Coverage depends on your insurance plan, diagnosis, imaging, nerve testing, medical necessity, injections, orthotics, procedure type, deductible, and benefits. Our office can help verify coverage before treatment.
Related Treatments
Tarsal tunnel care may include footwear changes, orthotic support, physical therapy, nerve symptom management, injections, immobilization, or surgical review when compression does not improve.
Nerve Decompression Surgery Surgical evaluation for selected nerve compression symptoms that do not respond to conservative care. 
Orthotic Devices Foot support options for flatfoot mechanics, arch support, pressure relief, and gait support. 
Physical Therapy Rehabilitation support for mobility, strength, gait, nerve gliding, and ankle flexibility. 
TENS Therapy Non-invasive electrical stimulation support for selected nerve-related pain symptoms. Meet Our Specialist
Our foot and ankle specialists are here to evaluate nerve symptoms, identify the cause of compression, and help you choose the right treatment path.
We accept most PPO plans. Check accepted insurance details, patient forms, and first-visit information before your appointment.
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