Compartment syndrome

Need to know

• What are the symptoms of compartment syndrome? icon plus

  Compartment syndrome can affect the hands, arms, feet, buttocks and, most commonly, the lower legs. There are two types of the condition. Acute compartment syndrome usually results from serious injury, like fractures and burns, or even occur after surgery — it can quickly worsen. The main symptoms include:

  • severe pain, even at rest and especially when the muscle is stretched
  • tenderness
  • tightness in the muscle and reduced mobility
  • tingling or numbness

  Chronic compartment syndrome appears gradually with exercise and eases at rest. Symptoms usually include: 

  • cramping pain, especially in the lower legs
  • swelling or bulging muscle
  • tingling

• How is compartment syndrome diagnosed? icon plus

  In order to diagnose chronic compartment syndrome, your consultant will want to eliminate other potential causes of pain. So they may check for tendonitis and request an X-ray to check for a stress fracture. The actual diagnosis may come from your consultant checking the pressure in your muscle compartments, both before and after exercise.

• Potential treatment options icon plus

  Acute compartment syndrome is a medical emergency and will require surgical procedure to relieve the pressure immediately within hours of onset. Chronic compartment syndrome, also known as exertional compartment syndrome, can often be triggered by a particular exercise. It is not an emergency, but your consultant might recommend physiotherapy, shoe inserts or anti-inflammatory medicines to relieve the condition. If your symptoms continue despite these measures, your consultant may consider surgery called a fasciotomy to relieve the pressure.