Compartment Syndrome - Leg Cramps



M

Mike Peretz

Guest
After only walking for about 10 minutes I start getting horrible cramps in my lower leg (usually on
the side of the leg). The pain gets worst the more I walk and gets resolved if I rest. Doctors told
me that I might have Compartment Syndrome. I read a lot about it, and the symptoms are very similar
what I have. Apparently the only true cure is surgery. I wonder if anyone has done it and if it was
successful.

Thanks.
 
Mike Peretz <[email protected]> wrote:
: After only walking for about 10 minutes I start getting horrible cramps in my lower leg (usually
: on the side of the leg). The pain gets worst the more I walk and gets resolved if I rest. Doctors
: told me that I might have Compartment Syndrome. I read a lot about it, and the symptoms are very
: similar what I have. Apparently the only true cure is surgery. I wonder if anyone has done it and
: if it was successful.

Past medical history?
 
"Mike Peretz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> After only walking for about 10 minutes I start getting horrible cramps in my lower leg (usually
> on the side of the leg). The pain gets worst the
more
> I walk and gets resolved if I rest. Doctors told me that I might have Compartment Syndrome. I read
> a lot about it, and the symptoms are very similar what I have. Apparently the only true cure is
> surgery. I wonder if anyone has done it and if it was successful.
>

That doesn't sound like compartment syndrome at all. Your limited description is very suggestive of
intermittent claudication - a blockage somewhere in the main artery that sends blood to the leg. The
pain from intermittent claudication occurs as a result of lack of blood supply, and therefore lack
of oxygen, to the leg muscles fed by that artery. The cramping in intermittent claudication is from
muscle ischemia.

HMc
 
You described my condition to a T, mine was diagnosed as intermittent claudication as in previous
post. The blockage is in the popliteal artery behind my knee.
 
Mike Peretz wrote:
> After only walking for about 10 minutes I start getting horrible cramps in my lower leg (usually
> on the side of the leg). The pain gets worst the more I walk and gets resolved if I rest. Doctors
> told me that I might have Compartment Syndrome. I read a lot about it, and the symptoms are very
> similar what I have. Apparently the only true cure is surgery. I wonder if anyone has done it and
> if it was successful.

Are you sure they really said "compartment syndrome" rather than "claudication"? Since a compartment
syndrome is an emergency, I doubt they would have been discussing elective surgery with you if
that's what they thought it was.

--
David Rind [email protected]
 
Doctors told me it might be intermittent claudicating so
they asked me to under go some medial tests to verify if the
blood flow to the leg is compromised. These tests showed
that there is no problems with blood flow, that's when they
started to suggest Compartment Syndrom. I am also 30 years
old and it is very unlikely that I have intermittent
claudicating in my age.

Tomorrow I am going to see another doctor for a second
option, lets see what he says. As for compartment syndrome
being an emergency, that is only one type of it.

I don't know my medical history because I am adopted.

"Howard McCollister" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Mike Peretz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > After only walking for about 10 minutes I start getting
> > horrible cramps
in
> > my lower leg (usually on the side of the leg). The pain
> > gets worst the
> more
> > I walk and gets resolved if I rest. Doctors told me that
> > I might have Compartment Syndrome. I read a lot about
> > it, and the symptoms are very similar what I have.
> > Apparently the only true cure is surgery. I wonder
if
> > anyone has done it and if it was successful.
> >
>
> That doesn't sound like compartment syndrome at all. Your
> limited description is very suggestive of intermittent
> claudication - a blockage somewhere in the main artery
> that sends blood to the leg. The pain from intermittent
> claudication occurs as a result of lack of blood supply,
> and therefore lack of oxygen, to the leg muscles fed by
> that artery. The cramping in intermittent claudication is
> from muscle ischemia.
>
> HMc
 
On 2004-03-07 09:44:02 -0500, "Mike Peretz" <[email protected]> said:

> I don't know my medical history because I am adopted.

Um...that might make it difficult to know your *family*
history, but your *medical* history is your own.
 
Mike Peretz wrote:
> Doctors told me it might be intermittent claudicating so
> they asked me to under go some medial tests to verify if
> the blood flow to the leg is compromised. These tests
> showed that there is no problems with blood flow, that's
> when they started to suggest Compartment Syndrom. I am
> also 30 years old and it is very unlikely that I have
> intermittent claudicating in my age.
>
> Tomorrow I am going to see another doctor for a second
> option, lets see what he says. As for compartment syndrome
> being an emergency, that is only one type of it.

Never know when you'll learn something new on sci.med. I
have to admit to never having heard of this, but now just
went off and read about "chronic compartment syndrome",
which indeed seems to present similarly to claudication,
except it happens in young people with more vigorous
exercise. Have others here heard about this before?

--
David Rind [email protected]
 
"David Rind" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Mike Peretz wrote:
> > Doctors told me it might be intermittent claudicating so
> > they asked me
to
> > under go some medial tests to verify if the blood flow
> > to the leg is compromised. These tests showed that there
> > is no problems with blood
flow,
> > that's when they started to suggest Compartment Syndrom.
> > I am also 30
years
> > old and it is very unlikely that I have intermittent
> > claudicating in my
age.
> >
> > Tomorrow I am going to see another doctor for a second
> > option, lets see
what
> > he says. As for compartment syndrome being an emergency,
> > that is only
one
> > type of it.
>
> Never know when you'll learn something new on sci.med. I
> have to admit to never having heard of this, but now just
> went off and read about "chronic compartment syndrome",
> which indeed seems to present similarly to claudication,
> except it happens in young people with more vigorous
> exercise. Have others here heard about this before?
>

Yes, it's in the differential for a younger person with
claudication symptoms, especially if he has normal resting
and excercise ABIs. I've never seen it, however, nor has my
partner, a fellowship-trained Sports Medicine orthopod who
used to be the team physician for the Philadelphia Eagles.
That doesn't mean it doesn't exist, of course, and this is
a case where excercise compartment manometry should
probably be done.

The OP didn't mention his age or exercise habits. A good
example of the pitfalls of offering medical advice over
the internet.

HMc
 
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