ORTHOPEDICS/ SPORTS INJURIES/ OVERUSE INJURIEE
Or (Exertional compartment syndrome)
What is Exertional Disorder Section called Exertional compartment syndrome
Exertional compartment syndrome is a disorder that causes muscle pain and trouble when performing an athletic activity
Exercise-induced disorder section is also called exertional compartment syndrome and chronic compartment syndrome and appears when people experience classically the pain following a period of high intensity activity, since relaxation relieves it quickly.
The pain due to the exercise-induced compartment syndrome can be quite severe, and it frequently limits le level of a person activity.
Note that Exercise-induced compartment syndrome is different from severe compartment syndrome, that may require a surgical assistance.
Classically, serious or severe compartment syndrome is due to a traumatic damage causing a similar increase of compartment pressures. In this condition, the pressure cannot be precise straightforwardly, and a delay in behavior can lead to permanent muscle and tissue damage.
With persons suffering of chronic compartment syndrome, the pressure is reduced by stopping the activity, and the symptoms will instinctively improve.
While behavior may be pursued, including surgery, this is usually not considered an emergency.
Good to know that Long-distance running is one of the reasons of an exertional disorder section.
Reasons of Exercise-Induced Compartment Syndrome
Pressure build-up within the muscles is the reason of an Exercise-induced compartment syndrome.
A tight tissue called a fascia surrounds the muscles, normally, the fascia has sufficient extra rooms to tolerate the muscle functioning without difficulty.
When the activity stages increases, blood flowing to a muscle increases as well, and the size of the muscle increases accordingly.
During energetic activity, the volume and weight of a muscle can increase by about 20% in size. This is the result of the muscle fibers distension to 20 times their inactive size during these periods of energetic activity.
With most people, the fascia tolerates enough room to lodge this increase in muscle size during activity; however, in patients with exercise-induced compartment syndrome, the fascia is so fitted and it compresses the muscle during these periods of energetic activity.
The leg is the most communal place of an exercise-induced compartment syndrome, and specifically around the shin bone.
Signs of this exercice-induced are usually seen with runners and cross-country skiers.
Compartment syndrome can also happen in the thigh (commonly with weightlifters and cyclists), forearm (rowers and motocross riders), and other muscles of the body.
Pain with Disorder Section
The blood flow to the muscle is interrupted each time the muscle enlarges and becomes compressed by the fascia. Therefore, the deficiency of blood flow causes ischemia, which is the same phenomenon as a heart-attack.
When blood flow to a muscle is interrupted, pain can arise as well. When this happens in the heart muscle, the result is a chest pain; when it happens in the leg, the result is a leg pain.
Before starting worrying, note that heart ischemia and the exercise-induced compartment syndrome are diverse!
The reason of these difficulties is diverse as well, but the end result causes a similar problem.
Moreover, relief of exercise-induced compartment syndrome is frequently very easy, simply stop effort of the muscle.
Signs of Exercise-Induced Compartment Syndrome
The frequent sign is pain during activity and that is quickly calmed with relaxation. Patients may notice a tingling or coldness due to deficiency of blood flow to the nerves that pass through the compartment.
Frequently, when the signs are present, the zone over the muscles of the affected compartment feel very constricted.
Diagnosis
It is evaluating the pressure within the muscles of the affected section. Frequently a pressure measurement is made at relaxation, and then the patient does some activity (such as a quick run) until the pain is present.
A repetitive measurement is then done and the pressure level is compared.
Generally, the pressure difference from relaxation and activity is small. Patients with exercise-induced compartment syndrome will have a dramatic increase in pressure readings when the signs are present after activity.
Numerous other situations requires to be taken into consideration. Exercise-induced compartment syndrome is unusual, and it is much more possible that leg pain) is being caused by one of the following situations:
- Medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints)
- Stress fractures
- Treatment of Exertional Compartment Syndrome
A relaxation period may be required, as well as stopping all kind of activities that causes the indications.
However, if the diagnosis of an exercise-induced compartment syndrome is clear, and the indicators persist, then a surgery may be required.
In this state, the surgery includes (cutting) the fitted fascia, called a fasciotomy.
An opening is made over the affected zone, and then the specialist releases the fitted tissue that surrounds the muscle.
The main danger of this operation is by releasing the small nerves that provides sensation to the extremity.
Frequently the specialist can identify the nerve and avoid it, but the possibility to harm the nerve remains.
A final word
Exercise-induced disorder section or (compartment syndrome) can be an annoying problem. Frequently, release can only come from one of two procedures: Either changing activities to prevent the muscles from having to work overly, or a surgical technique that permits more room for the muscles.
In these conditions, surgical solutions are classically the unique effective behavior to the Exercise-induced disorder, since changing activities can be problematic for athletes who involve high intensity activity in order to contest at the highest stages of their sport.