Compartment Syndrome Management?

[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