Compartment Syndrome Management?

[sarahkelly]

Silly question probabaly but who actaully diagnoses compartment syndrome, do they usually present in outpatisnt departments and get referred so someone to carryout the pressure tests or is that doen by the physio's, and is it the GP who decides who shoudl get surgery/conservative treatement? also alot on this forum is written about anterior tibila compartment syndrome but can it occur in any of the 3 compartments of the leg? Does it ever jsut resolve itself?
thank you, sarah

[jordanloughlin]

Hi Sarah,

GP's in our area tend not to diagnose musculoskeletal disorders as such, unless its obviously a tennis elbow or frozen shoulder etc. They come to outpatients with a mechanical problem, and then if it presents as something clinically, and the signs and symptoms fit, then you treat it as that.

If there is no resolution, then we would send to orthopaedics, and they would arrange for conduction studies etc to confirm. If applicable they would then go down the surgical route.

All 3 compartments can be affected, and it is a syndrome as and as such it is difficult to diagnose the exact structure at fault. Like shoulder impingement sydrome, there is likely to be a general inflammation in that compartment.

It can go away itself with rest, but there is usually an underlying biomechanical problem which is at fault, so it may come back.

Hope this helps.

Jordan