Functional Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome: Poorly Understood and Frequently Missed? A Review of Clinical Features, Appropriate Investigations, and Treatment Options
Table 1
Differential diagnosis and clinical features of exertional leg pain.
Condition
Incidence
Male/female preponderance
Unilateral/bilateral tendency
Site of pain
Pain present at rest
Pattern of pain
MTSS
13–42%
Possibly female
Bilateral
Posteromedial tibial border
Yes (on palpation)
Pain with activity can warm up and returns on cessation
Stress fracture
Unknown (0.7–20% exercising population)
Possibly female
Unilateral
Variable depending on site of stress fracture
Yes (on palpation)
Pain with impact activity
CECS
27–33%
Nil
Bilateral
Typically anterior and/or deep posterior compartments
No
Crescendo-decrescendo pattern: pain can last for minutes to hours on cessation
PAES (anatomical)
0.6–3.5% (rare)
Possibly male
Possibly unilateral
Typically superficial posterior compartment
Can be at rest (positional)
Crescendo-decrescendo pattern: pain can last for seconds to minutes on cessation
PAES (functional)
Unknown (possibly common and underrecognized)
Possibly female
Likely bilateral
Typically superficial posterior compartment
Can be at rest (positional)
Crescendo-decrescendo pattern: pain can last for seconds to minutes on cessation