Back to Health A to Z. Compartment syndrome is a painful and potentially serious condition caused by bleeding or swelling within an enclosed bundle of muscles — known as a muscle compartment. Each group of muscles in the arms and legs, together with nearby blood vessels and nerves, is contained in a space surrounded by tissue called fascia. Compartment syndrome occurs when the pressure within a compartment increases, restricting the blood flow to the area and potentially damaging the muscles and nearby nerves.
It usually occurs in the legs, feet, arms or hands, but can occur wherever there's an enclosed compartment inside the body. There are 2 main types of compartment syndrome: acute compartment syndrome and chronic also called exertional compartment syndrome. Symptoms of chronic compartment syndrome tend to develop gradually during exercise and improve with rest. Acute compartment syndrome is a medical emergency and ideally needs to be treated in hospital within a few hours to avoid permanent damage to the muscles or nerves.
Chronic compartment syndrome is much less serious, but it's a good idea to get your symptoms checked out and have the cause diagnosed.
Chronic compartment syndrome usually occurs in young people who do regular repetitive exercise, such as running or cycling. Taking a complete break from exercise or performing only low-impact activity might relieve your symptoms, but relief is usually only temporary.
Once you take up running again, for instance, those familiar symptoms usually come back. If you have recurring unusual pain, swelling, weakness, loss of sensation or soreness while exercising or participating in sports activities, talk to your doctor.
Sometimes chronic exertional compartment syndrome is mistaken for shin splints, a more common cause of leg pain in young people who do a lot of vigorous weight-bearing activity, such as running. If you think you have shin splints and the pain doesn't get better with self-care, talk to your doctor.
Chronic exertional compartment syndrome is a musculoskeletal condition brought on by exercise. It can affect muscle compartments in any of your limbs but occurs most commonly in the lower legs. The lower leg has four compartments, and any one or all of them can be affected. The cause of chronic exertional compartment syndrome isn't completely understood.
When you exercise, your muscles expand in volume. If you have chronic exertional compartment syndrome, the tissue that encases the affected muscle fascia doesn't expand with the muscle, causing pressure and pain in a compartment of the affected limb.
Some experts suggest that how you move while exercising might have a role in causing chronic exertional compartment syndrome. Other causes might include having muscles that enlarge excessively during exercise, having an especially inflexible fascia surrounding the affected muscle compartment or having high pressure within your veins. Certain factors increase your risk of developing chronic exertional compartment syndrome, including:. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome isn't a life-threatening condition and usually doesn't cause lasting damage if you get appropriate treatment.
However, pain, weakness or numbness associated with chronic exertional compartment syndrome may prevent you from continuing to exercise or practice your sport at the same level of intensity. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Chronic exertional compartment syndrome is an exercise-induced muscle and nerve condition that causes pain, swelling and sometimes disability in the affected muscles of the legs or arms. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome Open pop-up dialog box Close.
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