Has anyone ever been diagnosed with Compartment Syndrome?

Question

I am a runner who has been diagnosed with bilateral compartment syndrome in my lower legs. I am currently seeing a specialist, as well as recieving therapy a few times a week. The thing is, I am finding that the stretching and exercises that I have been shown to do feel like they are worsening my injury rather then improving it. Has anyone else ever worked through this injury, and if so, do you have any tips on how to decrease the pain associated with working out/ training/ living!?

Answer 1

did your doctors explain to you what the pain was being caused by? It is generally due to an increase in pressure within the compartment of muscles on the anterior aspect of the lower leg. There is not a lot of give in the sheaths holding the muscles together so an exercise level you are not used to, or even a new exercise may cause swelling in the anterior muscles, increasing the pressure.

In some extreme cases, surgery is required to remove the pressure as blood vessels and nerves to the area can become damaged, a side effect of which is necrotic tissue (tissue that has died due to a lack of oxygen). Your doctors should have already addressed this with you, but if not and your pain continues, bring it up with them. As if the inflammation continues, you could get septicemia which is deadly.

You could try an ice pack after doing your stretches to decrease the swelling, or elevating your legs above heart level. I would also talk to your specialist and tell them of your concerns. It may be they might have to manipulate the stretches for you, or the stretches may not be right for the current stage in recovery you are in.

During the day, anti-inflammatory drugs may also help. Check before taking these though if you are a competitive athlete as some may be on the banned list!

Keep in mind, this may all be a normal part of the healing process as you are working already inflamed muscles.!.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

My son, a competitive rower, was diagnosed with it this past fall, but he required immediate surgery and would've died without it. As I understand it, the real danger is necrotic tissue. Apparently yours wasn't bad enough to require surgery, but then, as I understood it, if there is ANY necrotic tissue it needs to be removed.

Do you have really good doctors? How many cases of compartment syndrome have they seen? My son's doctors said they don't see many and all the ones they told us about required surgery.

I'd get a second--high level--opinion. It is possible that continuing to train at all could be worsening your condition.