Fibular nerve compression - what HCP to see?
 

I'm pretty sure I have fibular (common peroneal) nerve dysfunction. I noticed sudden severe burning lower leg pain long ago while sitting on my knee, and had tried to avoid doing that, or crossing my legs since. Sometimes you forget...

More recently I've voluntarily lost some weight to improve glucose tolerance. Out of nowhere I've noticed hyperalgesia of the same region of the outer calf after innocent contact with clothing, doors, etc. Looking at my legs more systematically, I notice that light touch sensitivity is noticeably dull in both upper outer calves. No foot drop, difficulty walking, problems with toes - any of that. Obviously I don't want it to progress.

Apart from avoidance of positions etc that will cause more nerve compression, I'm wondering whether other modalities (physical, steroid injections, etc) might help.

My question: what type of health care provider is the best initial "point person" to directly see in order to pursue this? Neurologist? Physical therapist? Orthopedic surgeon? Someone else? Would welcome any suggestions - thanks!

Probably a nuerologist--
 

--although you'd want one who specializes in neuromuscular disorders as opposed to one who works primarily with stroke or headache patients or one who deals with multiple sclerosis, etc., Not all neurologists are that familiar with peripheral nerve issues.

By the way, people with glucose tolerance issues, even before frank diabetes, are now ell known to often exhibit symptoms of neuropathy, and it seems they are also more prone to compressive nerve symptomology--the "double crush hypothesis" if often used to explain how a nerve tract that is not functioning as well due to a metabolic, toxic, or autoimmune issue may, when compressed, produce symptoms beyond the expected sum of the insults. This has been more often documented in people with diabetes/glucose dysregulation having spinal compression problems than more peripherally located compressive issues, but has certainly been documented in those areas as well, especially in those areas that nerves pass through narrow channels and are prone to compression anyway, such as the carpal and cupital tunnels, the knee, the pubic Alcock's canal, and the elbow.