Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome

July 24, 2015 5:59 PM

Podiatrist is 90% sure I have this, as my symptoms are a textbook case. I'm a little nervous about the testing and the treatment options sound like either stretching (does this actually work?) or surgery. I'm looking to hear what others' experiences with this have been.

Specifically, this is/may be "deep posterior chronic exertional compartment syndrome." Podiatrist advised a test, which sounds like a needle in a muscle to test pressure while one runs on a treadmill.

He noticed that my calves are large for my size/weight and when I described the tightness in the calves and Achilles area, the "locking up" around my ankles when I run, and numbness in the outsides of my feet, he said it was a classic textbook case. I trust his opinion, as he's been in the field for 30 years and actively publishes and interviews nationally. Of course I'm going for the test, but the whole thing freaks me out a little.

I have a history of issues with this, and the sports medicine doc and PT identified weak hips and a weak core (not abs, but core hip muscles). Per my PT, I've been doing stretching exercises every day, and I've added alternating between barre classes and yoga every day, which he is happy with. I had a follow up appointment with the him today, and I'm gaining strength in my hips, so the issues I had with hip strength are improving, and I've gained flexibility in my calf muscle, but it is still really REALLY tight.

I love to hike, used to love to run, but now I can't do either because of this CECS. I'm looking for others' experiences - bonus points for stories of success without surgery.

posted by onecircleaday to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

Best answer: Famous fitness expert Jen Sinkler has this too. In this interview she touches on it:
Jen Sinkler

She's also a great person AND does remote training so drop her a line via Thrive as the Fittest or at her gym The Movement Minneapolis.
posted by littlewater at 10:26 PM on July 24, 2015

Best answer: I had this (anterior though) when I was 16 and after almost a year of stretching/physio/not being able to run without pain, I was scheduled for surgery, which was pretty inconvenient and involved a week in bed but pretty much fixed it perfectly and I haven't had issues in the last fifteen years.
posted by the agents of KAOS at 2:55 AM on July 25, 2015

Best answer: I'm in the process of looking into this too. I've had problems with my lower legs (only with exertion) for years now, and a recent visit with a physiatrist identified CECS as a likely culprit. So, testing is next. It looks like fasciotomy is the only proven way to treat this condition, although there is also the possibility of treatment using botulinum/botox(?). Not sure what to think of that latter approach, but I would consider going under the knife for this. I want to be able to hike long distances again.
posted by bennett being thrown at 8:50 AM on July 25, 2015

Response by poster: Bennett being thrown, you are me. I could live without running, but my SO and I hike for fun, and I totally want to be able to go long distances again - it's so frustrating that after a mile or two, my ankles start aching and my feet start going numb. No bueno. I've never heard of the botulinum/botox though. That makes me a little nervous, especially since this isn't a common condition. My podiatrist is The Podiatrist to see in my mid-size city - the local hospital recommends him to their patients, so he sees tons of people - and he says he only sees 1-2 cases per year.

The agents of KAOS - thank you for sharing. I'm really nervous about surgery, but it's encouraging that the recovery time is intense but relatively short.
posted by onecircleaday at 8:52 PM on July 25, 2015

I spent three nights in hospital and was on crutches for about four weeks as well, I don't want to give the impression it was done in a week! I also don't remember how long it was before i was doing activity again, i know i played hockey again the next season started six months later but not sure if I did anything before that? Worth noting that since I was a kid, we scheduled it during school holidays and I was pretty completely in bed all the time during that portion. My doctor said I recovered much faster than most patients and partially attributed it to my actual complete bed rest, since most people have a lot more commitments and don't do so well at the bedrest.
posted by the agents of KAOS at 12:11 AM on July 26, 2015