Your activity: 8 p.v.

Patient education: Chronic compartment syndrome (The Basics)

Patient education: Chronic compartment syndrome (The Basics)

What is chronic compartment syndrome? — Chronic compartment syndrome is a condition that causes muscle pain with exercise. It is also called "chronic exertional compartment syndrome" or "CECS."

A "compartment" is a group of muscles. Each group of muscles in the body is surrounded by a strong band of tissue called "fascia." In CECS, too much pressure builds up in a muscle compartment. This causes symptoms.

CECS can happen in people who exercise, especially runners. It can also happen in people who play sports that involve a lot of running, like soccer. CECS usually affects a muscle compartment in the lower leg (calf).

What are the symptoms of chronic compartment syndrome? — CECS causes muscle pain with exercise. The pain is usually in both legs and starts within 20 to 30 minutes of exercising. The pain can feel like an ache, squeeze, cramp, or tight muscle. The pain goes away with rest, usually within 15 to 30 minutes after stopping the exercise.

Besides pain, CECS can also cause:

Numbness or tingling

Muscle weakness

Is there anything I can do on my own to prevent these symptoms? — Yes. Avoiding running, or the sport that causes your symptoms, is the best way to prevent pain. But if you do not want to do this, there are other things you can try. You can:

Run on a softer surface. For example, it might help to run on grass, dirt trails, or a track instead of on a paved road.

Wear cushioned shoe inserts in your sneakers

Run less and add other kinds of exercise (such as swimming or biking) to stay fit

Ice the painful area right after you exercise. Try to put a cold gel pack, bag of ice, or bag of frozen vegetables on the area within the first hour after exercising. Then repeat this every 4 to 6 hours, for 15 minutes each time, if the area still feels tight or painful.

Try to build up strength and flexibility in your legs and torso. A physical therapist (exercise expert) can help with this.

Should I see a doctor or nurse? — Yes. If you try the tips above but still have symptoms when you exercise, see your doctor or nurse.

Is there a test for chronic compartment syndrome? — Yes. Your doctor or nurse will ask about your symptoms and do an exam. They can also do tests to check the pressure in your muscle compartment. There are different ways to do this. But in general, it involves putting a thin needle or tube into your muscle. Your doctor might measure your compartment pressure both before and after you exercise.

How is chronic compartment syndrome treated? — One option for treatment is to simply stop the activity that causes CECS. Another option is surgery. Doctors can do 2 different types of surgery to treat CECS:

Fasciotomy – This involves cutting open the fascia.

Fasciectomy – This involves removing pieces of fascia.

Both of these surgeries help prevent pressure from building up again in the compartment. Many people are able to exercise without muscle pain after they heal from surgery.

More on this topic

Patient education: Exercise and movement (The Basics)

Patient education: Exercise (Beyond the Basics)

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Jan 01, 2023.
This generalized information is a limited summary of diagnosis, treatment, and/or medication information. It is not meant to be comprehensive and should be used as a tool to help the user understand and/or assess potential diagnostic and treatment options. It does NOT include all information about conditions, treatments, medications, side effects, or risks that may apply to a specific patient. It is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for the medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of a health care provider based on the health care provider's examination and assessment of a patient's specific and unique circumstances. Patients must speak with a health care provider for complete information about their health, medical questions, and treatment options, including any risks or benefits regarding use of medications. This information does not endorse any treatments or medications as safe, effective, or approved for treating a specific patient. UpToDate, Inc. and its affiliates disclaim any warranty or liability relating to this information or the use thereof. The use of this information is governed by the Terms of Use, available at https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/know/clinical-effectiveness-terms ©2023 UpToDate, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved.
Topic 82914 Version 5.0