Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome is an exercise induced muscle and nerve condition that causes pain, swelling and sometimes disability in the affected muscle
Most often the arm or the leg
It can occur in all ages, but is localized to athletes who participate in repetitive impact exercises
Ie: running, fast walking
Symptoms
Symptoms often begin when you start exercising and worsen the longer you exercise. Most often the symptoms stop within 30mins after rest. However over time the symptoms persist longer and longer after exercising, sometimes lingering for a day or two.
Aching, burning or cramping pain
Tightness
Numbness or tingling
Foot drop: difficulty lifting the front part of the foot resulting in a heavy drop of the forefoot
Swelling or bulging
Causes
Excessive pressure in a muscle segment/compartment
Connective tissue holding the muscle fibers doesn’t expand when muscles expand causing pressure build up leading to a cut off of blood supply
Enlarged muscles
Thick band of tissue around a muscle
High pressure in the veins
Treatment
Massage Therapy
Massage Therapy to help reduce pressure in the affected muscle
Custom Foot Orthotics
Custom Foot Orthotics help to provide stability and absorb shock when performing a high impact exercise.
Take a break from the exercise
Start performing low impact activities once a medical professional signs off on it
Prevention
Perform warm up and cool down stretches before and after exe4rcising
Stop performing an activity if you’re in pain
Stay hydrated
If you recently started running or training for a marathon watch out for shin splintsand medial tibial stress syndrome. If you’re not careful you may end up with this -condition – it is not fun when you have to completely stop the activity all together.
