Meralgia paresthetica: a long-standing performancelimiting cause of anterior thigh pain in a soccer player

Meralgia paresthetica is an entrapment neuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Patients with this disor-der are affected by thigh pain, paresthesia, and sensory loss in the distribution of the nerve. More than 80 possible causes have been reported.14 In most cases, the cause is considered to be idiopathic entrapment of the lateral fem-oral cutaneous nerve.5 In other cases, however, traumatic irritation to the nerve adjacent to the anterior superior iliac spine and inguinal ligament is thought to be respon-sible. Described causes of meralgia paresthetica have ranged from chronic disturbance of the nerve due to a tense inguinal ligament in the case of a leg-length discrep-ancy6; tight trousers; wallet carried in front pants pock-ets12; obesity or pregnancy8; or a mass compressing the nerve.1