Compartment Syndrome
- Thread starter carlbcfc
- Start date
Im getting it on the treadmill (do run outdoors too) after around 15 mins.
At one point I could run through it till it felt numb, and go on to 60 mins. Lately however, its getting harder, and im having to do intervals of 1 min hard hill, 1 min walk just to get a good session in. During this burning of the outer shin, I cannot lift my foot upwards.
At one point I could run through it till it felt numb, and go on to 60 mins. Lately however, its getting harder, and im having to do intervals of 1 min hard hill, 1 min walk just to get a good session in. During this burning of the outer shin, I cannot lift my foot upwards.
Yes I have had CCS for 3 years, for 2 years it was dismissed as MTSS when it was finally diagnosed the only option left was surgery but by that time I was so threaders with it I had already signed off. When I eventually had my pressure testing the highest reading was nearing the 100's. The operation to relieve it is a fasciotomy, it leaves very bad scars and may not always work. The instance of it the military especially in females is significantly higher than in civvy street where it is fairly uncommon, which is another reason it took me so long to be diagnosed as the only doctors we had were civvies who dismissed my symtoms due to it being uncommon in their opinion.
The symptoms vary depending if you have anterior or posterior CCS. In general you will experience tightness and pain in the calves or tibialis anterior, numbness and tingling in the feet. Symptoms are worsened by excercise especially high impact but even repetitive actions such as the cross trainer can cause problems.
On examination of the feet and lower leg there may be decreased blood flow when syptoms are at their most aggrivated, this is characterized by the skin appearing white, on applying pressure to the area (CRT) the skin will be sluggish in regaining colour.
For me the condition is frustrating and restrictive, however if you are in the military and push for treatment it can be well managed.
Edited to add. If you are in the Forces you need to be referred to DMRC Headley Court for testing, you will have an assesment then they will decide if they are going to test you or not.
The test is not nice. They put very thick needles into your leg that travel into the depth of the muscle, they then attach fluid filled pressure sensors which have a fluid filled syringe attached to one side and an elctronc sensor attached to the other. You the put your boots on and tab on the treadmill untill you cannot physically do it any longer. If it gives you an idea of how bad I allowed it to get I managed 7 minutes before they told me to stop.
Do not get fobbed off if you think you have this condition. Get it sorted.
The symptoms vary depending if you have anterior or posterior CCS. In general you will experience tightness and pain in the calves or tibialis anterior, numbness and tingling in the feet. Symptoms are worsened by excercise especially high impact but even repetitive actions such as the cross trainer can cause problems.
On examination of the feet and lower leg there may be decreased blood flow when syptoms are at their most aggrivated, this is characterized by the skin appearing white, on applying pressure to the area (CRT) the skin will be sluggish in regaining colour.
For me the condition is frustrating and restrictive, however if you are in the military and push for treatment it can be well managed.
Edited to add. If you are in the Forces you need to be referred to DMRC Headley Court for testing, you will have an assesment then they will decide if they are going to test you or not.
The test is not nice. They put very thick needles into your leg that travel into the depth of the muscle, they then attach fluid filled pressure sensors which have a fluid filled syringe attached to one side and an elctronc sensor attached to the other. You the put your boots on and tab on the treadmill untill you cannot physically do it any longer. If it gives you an idea of how bad I allowed it to get I managed 7 minutes before they told me to stop.
Do not get fobbed off if you think you have this condition. Get it sorted.
Ive went sick with exactly that before , after months of it winding me up when my calves/feet go to bits and have basically been told " we dont know " . My feet go numb after I run a certain distance, and it gets worse the less miles I put in (training wise). Im a reasonably fit bloke but by legs always pile in on boot runs. Ive got Altbergs now , going to see if they help , as the only thing thats been suggested to me is its a boot fitting issue.
27 yrd old in later, stages of joining process. Im not having much luck with injuries at all. All seems to be the right leg which id say over pronates quite bad, although the Up & Running gait analysis said otherwise. Could this be the root cause of all the injuries to this leg?
I do have proper running shoe's which were advised by Up & Running staff.
So being here id need the doc to refer me?
I do have proper running shoe's which were advised by Up & Running staff.
So being here id need the doc to refer me?
I had this and went through all the tests etc, however in my case the pace on the running machine was insufficient to bring it on fully. I was given 3 options:
1. Surgery
2. Lose weight
3. Run less
I went for option 3 and at well over 40 can still maintain good times for the 1.5 miles. I did less steady-state endurance running replacing it with cycling and rowing. I limited running to interval training sessions 2 or 3 times a week. I still have the odd issue with CFT, and the training for it, but as I'm doing fewer miles it's nowhere near as bad before. I think options 2 or 3 have to be better than surgery that may not work anyway. Everyone's different however so go sick and possibly see a civvy doctor for a 2nd opinion if you're not happy. Good luck.
1. Surgery
2. Lose weight
3. Run less
I went for option 3 and at well over 40 can still maintain good times for the 1.5 miles. I did less steady-state endurance running replacing it with cycling and rowing. I limited running to interval training sessions 2 or 3 times a week. I still have the odd issue with CFT, and the training for it, but as I'm doing fewer miles it's nowhere near as bad before. I think options 2 or 3 have to be better than surgery that may not work anyway. Everyone's different however so go sick and possibly see a civvy doctor for a 2nd opinion if you're not happy. Good luck.
I have read as much as I can on the subject and am looking into something called myofascial release as a non surgery option.
Them saying "we don't know" is not fcuking good enough, if they don't know they should send you to someone who does, fcuking sloepy shouldered arrseholes. Go back to your MO demand (with all due respect) that you are either sent to your nearest RRU or orthapaedic consultant at the very least you should see a physio, you are entitled to the same treatment as NHS patients and they are allowed to request referrals as are you. It may help if you wave an internet print out of the sypmtoms in their face.
Them saying "we don't know" is not fcuking good enough, if they don't know they should send you to someone who does, fcuking sloepy shouldered arrseholes. Go back to your MO demand (with all due respect) that you are either sent to your nearest RRU or orthapaedic consultant at the very least you should see a physio, you are entitled to the same treatment as NHS patients and they are allowed to request referrals as are you. It may help if you wave an internet print out of the sypmtoms in their face.
This was mentioned to me before attending Headley, when I told the orthapadic consultant there that the GP ( who has a wife so thin its unhealthy) had told me no Orthapaedic surgeon would look at me until I lost weight, he was unimpressed. In the military carrying extra weight has no bearing on the symptoms as we have to be able to cope with carrying extra weight if you get the symptoms carrying an extra bit of fat then you will get it carrying a bergen half your body weight. Weight should have no bearing on the treatment of the condition as it has very little to do with its onset.
Dolly, as I said different issues for different people. I never had a problem walking around with the extra weight of bergen and it still isn't too severe tabbing for a CFT, I only experienced the problem running in excess of 5 miles/40 mins. Given that most of us do more running than carrying heavy bergens around I take the view that weighing less would reduce the workload on my lower limb muscles whilst running. This by definition would ease the symptoms as the muscles are doing less work. Losing weight wasn't really an option for me as I wasn't overly fat mainly bulky for rugby - although I'll admit there was some room for manoeuvre.
So obviously I cannot seem to maintain a steady jog for more than 15 mins at the moment. So my treadmill routine after the 15 mins is, 1 min hill sprint, 1 min walk, untill around 40 mins, then ill do 20/30 on the bike. Enough to keep gaining fitness?
Reason I ask is, I feel when I walk, im failing. Are the hill sprints enough to compensate all that walking?
Reason I ask is, I feel when I walk, im failing. Are the hill sprints enough to compensate all that walking?
I've skimmed this thread, so apologies in advance.
Having suffered from the conddition it is really debilitating, for months it was dismissed as shin splints until I hassled my GP to see an orthopedic surgeon.
A word of warning about surgery. I opted for surgery on both legs, but got struck down with C-Difficile in my lower right leg, almost leading to me losing it. I was lucky and got away with losing most of the muscle which I've spent years building it back up.
It may not happen to you, but given the state of some hospitals infection is a serious risk, if you opt for surgery.
Try and maintain your fitness, even if it is walking, have you tried other exercises, such as swimming, it may help you work out for longer. For me, as a TA soldier, it is really easy to fall into bad habits, as I am not the athletic type and I stopped exercising which is the worst thing you can do. I am now going through the pain of maintaining my fitness on a weaker leg - which is not fun when you are the other side of 30.
Still, I wish you well.
Having suffered from the conddition it is really debilitating, for months it was dismissed as shin splints until I hassled my GP to see an orthopedic surgeon.
A word of warning about surgery. I opted for surgery on both legs, but got struck down with C-Difficile in my lower right leg, almost leading to me losing it. I was lucky and got away with losing most of the muscle which I've spent years building it back up.
It may not happen to you, but given the state of some hospitals infection is a serious risk, if you opt for surgery.
Try and maintain your fitness, even if it is walking, have you tried other exercises, such as swimming, it may help you work out for longer. For me, as a TA soldier, it is really easy to fall into bad habits, as I am not the athletic type and I stopped exercising which is the worst thing you can do. I am now going through the pain of maintaining my fitness on a weaker leg - which is not fun when you are the other side of 30.
Still, I wish you well.
I'm no PTI although I know the basic principles of training and what works for me. Pending getting it sorted mix up your CV training to include anything that gets your heart rate going above 135 bpm for at least 40 mins 3 or 4 times a week (swimming, rowing, cycling, cross-trainer etc). Throw in some short sharp running intervals such as 30 sec at max effort with 2 to 4 mins very slow jog before doing it again for a total of 6 repititions (ie 1 x 30 sec sprint, 2 mins slow jog and repeat that another 5 times) should keep you under 15 mins and science suggests this will complement endurance work.
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