Compartment syndrome, right lower leg.

Has anyone here suffered with compartment syndrome? I get a sharp stabbing pain to the right of my shin between my shin and calf so I don’t think it’s shin splints. It’s preventing me from running at present. Tried resting for three weeks but back again after 2 or 3 miles today. Any advice appreciated.

That’s an interesting self-assessment to come up with.
Acute compartment syndrome is a medical emergency and should be excluded by a professional.
Chronic CS needs diagnosis and a proposed course of action from a suitably experienced medical professional.

In other words, if you have reason to suspect a circulatory problem, get thee to a professional….

Hmm, that’s not what a quick check of Google says? I don’t think it’s shin splints as the pain is at the side of my leg. Admittedly I’m no doctor but from what I found compartment syndrome seemed to fit?

This is what I read on the runnersworld website.

Pain on the anterior (outside) part of the lower leg may be compartment syndrome—a swelling of muscles within a closed compartment—which creates pressure. To diagnose this condition, special techniques are used to measure the amount of pressure. Sometimes surgical “decompression” is required. The symptoms of compartment syndrome include leg pain, unusual nerve sensations, and eventually muscle weakness.

I guess people misdiagnosing is fairly common with easy access to google.

Do you think it is shin splints then, which from what I understand is just a general term for pain in the lower leg?

Compartment Syndrome can mean death, and certainly is a medical emergency

Unexplained pain that doesn’t clear up with rest— You can probably predict where I’d suggest going next. And it isn’t Google.
There are a great many potential causes, some more easily excluded than others.

I’ve seen both acute and chronic CS in runners.
You don’t have acute, the emergency type as you’d be on the edge of screaming if you did, trust me.
Chronic is another matter and can only be diagnosed by a circulatory specialist, following referral from your GP.
Shin splints ‘should’ clear quickly when not actually running and will usually heal up given time and suitable protective action.
If it’s bothering you enough to be worth consulting here, it’s probably worth consulting with your own practitioner…

Ive had Anterior compartment syndrome in both legs, it bloody hurt and stopped me running for a while.

Had to push and push to get tested for it as the military doctors I was seeing just put it down to “shin splints”

I got sent for pressure studies on the compartment in question and was told that the reading they got were the highest they had ever seen.

Ended up having an operation to “release” the muscles, still not 100% as I can feel them pumping up when running or moving my foot up and down but they are a lot better.

I would but all he will say is rest. No actual diagnosis! I’m sure Google serves a purpose in many respects and probably keeps a fair few people away from GP practices. Just wondered if anyone on here had experienced similar lower leg pain, that’s all.

Renton, was the pain instant when you ran. Mine isn’t, I can feel it but it doesn’t become an issue until a couple of miles in? If it was shin splints wouldn’t it be there straight away or does the pain start when the pressure builds? I’ve no idea hence my post.

That sort of pain is hugely common and varies massively. I’ve had it due to microfractures, I’ve seen it due to overtraining, muscle imbalance, muscle tears and compartment syndrome. When I had it is was due to microfractures and overtraining and I couldn’t run for about 3 months.

It’s not a straightforward diagnosis. You really really don’t want it to be compartment syndrome though.

“To diagnose this condition, special techniques are used to measure the amount of pressure.”

Thorpie – So I assume that you carried out an ABPI Test to help confirm your Google diagnosis?

Ha ha. I think you know the answer to that. Maybe I will go and see the doctor then.

No it used to build up and got more and more painful !

Which is what my pain does Renton. I can feel it pulsing as well.

Which is what my pain does Renton. I can feel it pulsing as well.

Classic symptoms of Cat Aids, and not the good kind either.

Cat aids, the bad kind obviously.

It’s never the good kind, is it??

Compartment syndrome is quite rare. Shinsplints can be pretty generic and I have had them in various guises since I started running 35 years ago! From mild tenderness to stress fractures.
Shin and calf pain can radiate around the area. I would ice it and maybe rest a bit longer. No harm in getting a diagnosis in the meantime but I suspect a GP wont pick up on it and you will wait to see a specialist.

Surely it must be House-Maid’s knee

😉

it could be scar tissue, you may have had muscle tear which has scarred over and now the muscle can’t move as freely as it used to which will cause pain. Go see the doc. and ask if you can have an ultrasound scan which should show up any anomolies in the muscle.

It’s never the good kind, is it??

You can only get that if you’re a haemophiliac IIRC…