Exertional Compartment Syndrome in Five Collegiate Athletes (original) (raw)
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Chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the leg in athletes: evaluation and management
The Physician and sportsmedicine, 2010
Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is a well-known cause of activity-related lower leg pain in both athletes and nonathletes. In contrast to acute compartment syndrome, CECS is generally not related to trauma, and is often suspected in the outpatient setting by primary care physicians, podiatrists, sports medicine clinicians, and orthopedic surgeons. The diagnosis of CECS is often overlooked because patients avoid or withdraw from exacerbating physical activities instead of seeking treatment for their symptoms from a health care professional. A thorough history and physical examination of an individual with activity-related lower leg pain is necessary for correct diagnosis to occur. Appropriate diagnostic testing with measurement of intracompartmental pressures reliably confirms the diagnosis of CECS. Nonoperative treatments of CECS rarely leads to complete resolution of symptoms or an individual's ability to return to previous levels of recreational or athletic act...
International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 2016
Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome (CECS) causes significant exercise related pain secondary to increased intra-compartmental pressure (ICP) in the lower extremities. CECS is most often treated with surgery with minimal information available on non-operative approaches to care. This case report presents a case of CECS successfully managed with physical therapy. Case report. A 34-year-old competitive triathlete experienced bilateral anterior and posterior lower leg pain measured with a numerical pain rating scale of 7/10 at two miles of running. Pain decreased to resting levels of 4/10 two hours post exercise. The patient was diagnosed with bilateral CECS with left lower extremity ICP at rest measured at 36 mmHg (deep posterior), 36-38 mmHg (superficial posterior), and 25 mmHg (anterior). Surgery was recommended. The patient chose non-operative care and was treated with physical therapy using the Functional Manual Therapy approach aimed at addressing myofascial restrictions, neu...
Exercise induced compartment syndrome in a professional footballer
British Journal of Sports Medicine
Recurrent pain in the lower leg caused by exercise is a common problem in athletes. The main causes are exercise induced compartment syndrome, periostitis of the tibia, stress fracture, venous diseases, obliterative arterial diseases, and shin splints. Exercise induced compartment syndrome is the least common. A recurrent tightening or tense sensation and aching in anatomically defined compartments is pathognomonic. The symptoms are caused by abnormally high pressure in compartments of the leg during and after exercise. In this report, a case of exercise induced compartment syndrome in a professional footballer is described.
Surgical Management of Exertional Anterior Compartment Syndrome of the Leg
West Indian Medical Journal, 2013
Objective: To describe the characteristic presentation of exertional leg pain in athletes and to discuss the diagnostic options and surgical management of exertional anterior compartment syndrome of the leg in this group of patients. Methods: Data from a series of athletes presenting with exertional leg pain were analysed and categorized according to aetiology. Results: Sixty-six athletes presenting with exertional leg pain in 102 limbs were analysed. Sixteen patients in a first group of 20 patients with a provisional diagnosis of exertional anterior compartment syndrome of the leg underwent a closed fasciotomy with complete resolution of symptoms. A second group of 42 patients were diagnosed as medial tibial stress syndrome and a third group of four patients had confirmed stress fracture of the tibia. Conclusion: Exertional leg pain is a common presenting complaint of athletes to sports physicians and physiotherapists. Careful analysis can lead to an accurate diagnosis and commencement of effective treatment. Exertional anterior compartment syndrome can be successfully treated utilizing a closed fasciotomy with a rapid return to sport.
Delay in diagnosis of acute on chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the leg
MUSCULOSKELETAL SURGERY, 2009
Exertional compartment syndrome is most commonly described in its chronic form in the young sportive patient. The acute form is a lot rarer and usually only unilateral. We report a case in which a chronic compartment syndrome became acute after intense effort. This was diagnosed rather late due to the lack of knowledge about this syndrome. The necrosis noticed during the fasciotomy was removed by iterative interventions. The wound was left in secondary healing because the patient refused a flap. Upon the patient's last follow-up visit, the wound was healed, but he had a complete deficit in dorsal flexion of the ankle, a foot drop and consequently a steppage gait.
Neglected acute post exertional anterior compartment syndrome: a case report
The Medical journal of Malaysia, 1985
A case of Acute Post Exertional Anterior Compartment Syndrome of the leg, seen five days after the onset of symptoms is presented. Decompression with delayed closure was done. There was only sensory recovery. However functional recovery at one year was good. Acute Post Exertional Compartment Syndrome cases are diagnosed late due to the lack of awareness, the paucity of radiological features, and the presence of intact peripheral pulses. A review of the literature revealed no previous documentation from SouthEast Asia. CASE REPORT E.C. was a 26-year-old Indian male who, whilst playing a game of football, noticed a sudden onset of pain in the anterior aspect of his right leg. The pain came on about fifteen minutes after the onset of the game. On finishing the game with difficulty, he noticed weakness of dorsiflexion of the right foot and felt that the dorsum of his foot was numb. He attended the local hospital where the X-ray did not reveal
A Missed Bilateral, Acute Anterior Exertional Compartment Syndrome of the Leg
Cureus, 2021
A 26-year-old male athlete presented to our hospital with bilateral leg pain after intense training. He had a history of transient numbness and pain with rigorous exercise but this time pain persisted and drop foot developed. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of acute exertional compartment syndrome was delayed due to late presentation of the patient in our department. He underwent three consecutive surgeries for decompression and debridement. At 13 months follow-up, he is ambulatory with bilateral ankle-foot orthosis. This case presents a bilateral, acute anterior exertional compartment syndrome of the leg and highlights the need for high clinical suspicion and early treatment of the acute exertional compartment syndrome.
Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 2020
Clinical Scenario: Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is a condition related with ischemia of the body’s tissue due to increases in intracompartmental pressures, which involves, among other symptoms, pain with exertion. CECS is often overlooked or misdiagnosed due to an ambiguous presentation. Diagnostic accuracy of CECS and subsequent management can be improved when contributing factors are known. Research is lacking on the type of patient most likely to experience CECS, highlighting the need for identification of common demographic characteristics among affected individuals. Clinical Question: What are the common demographic characteristics among patients exhibiting CECS of the lower leg? Summary of Key Findings: Four studies were identified (1 prospective consecutive study, 2 retrospective reviews, and 1 retrospective cohort study) that examined common characteristics among patients with CECS. Conflicting evidence exists on whether CECS is more commonly seen in men or...