![]() The onset of pain will often occur after a set distance or duration of running. In any case, the hallmark symptoms of compartment syndrome are stiffness, tightness, aching, and pain in the affected muscle area that worsens when you run on it and diminishes quickly after you stop running (within half an hour or so). The posterior and deep posterior compartments are on the back of your leg, by your calves. These are on the front of your leg, on the meaty part of your shin. As mentioned above, the vast majority of the time, your pain will be in the anterior or lateral compartments. Symptomsīecause each of the four compartments of your lower leg can develop compartment syndrome, the specific location of symptoms is going to vary depending on which compartment is involved. Some researchers have proposed that rearfoot striking and overstriding are risk factors for anterior compartment syndrome, because the anterior compartment is loaded to a greater degree in rearfoot striking than in forefoot striking (the converse should be true with regards to the posterior compartment, but no scientific papers comment on this). Men and women seem to be at approximately equal risk. Since the size of your muscular compartments is fixed by the time you’re done growing, it would make sense that problems would start to arise soon afterwards. One study pegged the median age of developing symptoms at 20. 2 Here’s what we do know:Ĭompartment syndrome occurs more often in young runners. So there is less data on risk factors than for more common issues like IT band syndrome. For more on running injuries please read The Most Common Running Injuries in Men and Are Women More Prone To Running Injuries Than Men. 1 This is good, since posterior and especially deep posterior compartment syndrome is more difficult to treat.Ĭompartment syndrome is fairly rare, accounting for only 1.4% of all running injuries, according one study. It’s possible to get chronic exertional compartment syndrome in any of the four compartments of the leg, but 95% of cases occur in the anterior or lateral compartments. In the case of compartment syndrome, however, the sheath of connective tissue is too small, and when the muscles swell up when you run, pressure builds up inside the compartment and causes pain. Your shin muscles, for example, are in the anterior compartment, while your calf muscles are in the posterior compartment.īecause muscles swell up during exercise, muscle compartments are typically large enough to accommodate this swelling. Each compartment is a sheath made of connective tissue. The muscles of your lower leg are divided up into four compartments. In the case of this article, when we say “compartment syndrome,” we are referring specifically to chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the lower leg. Compartment syndrome is known more formally as chronic exertional compartment syndrome, which distinguishes it from acute compartment syndrome, which is a medical emergency that usually occurs after severe injuries or serious infections. Though rare, compartment syndrome can cause perplexing and long-standing pain in your shin, or more rarely, in your calves. ![]() ![]() But hang on, if that pain in your shin muscles, instead of the bone, it could be compartment syndrome. Pain on the front of your shins after a run? Seems like a cut and dry case of shin splints ( The Ultimate Guide To Shin Splints For Runners). ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |