A couple questions for those who have had a fasciotomy

Deep posterior compartment syndrome of calf muscles . Dealt with it until I had to have emergency fasciotomy on right leg . Right calf is grossly deformed and 1/2 inch larger than the left .

Eight months later did the left calf no deformity .

Reason for first was enormous swelling after a three mile run .

Emergency room did not believe me at first . They thought I was in a car accident ( they called local police departments ) or I was a druggie that passed out in in a confined space .

Finally they called a physician with expertise in sport injuries .

Pain was never acute but I could not run through it anymore .

Had phantom cramps for about two months after each surgery .

Tylenol and PT helped and after that period my running returned to MY normal hobby jogging .

That was 14 years ago .

Good luck !!!!!

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like you had quite the experience, and it's nice to hear the problem hasn't returned after all these years.

I personally don't care about scarring and the doctor mentioned I could have a little bit of a cankle but I'm just so ready to get this (hopefully) fixed that I'm fine with any of it. My pressure test was based on the "15 and under is normal" and the compartment corresponding to the pain was a 17 prior to the treadmill, but it actually dropped to 12 after that, and again after another 5 minutes of rest. The other compartments tested were all under 15. Despite that, the podiatrist still believes it's a compartment issue. I'll find out monday but I'm guessing it's because the location of my pain isn't where most people feel it, with it being so specific to where pushing drum pedals puts the most fatigue.

I'm a very casual runner. My fastest 5k was only 27:04, but I'm dying to be able to just get out there and jog again. I knew it then, but I've really come to fully appreciate the peace and stress relief I got from those casual runs and it's really given me a true appreciation for full mobility. I know a lot of people are in way worse shape and have "real" problems, but this is MY real problem and it's becoming more and more significant in my life.

I know that I'm responding to a 5-year post. I was diagnosed with chronic exertional compartment syndrome CECS last month. I'm not sure which scale the prior pressure measurements were at, but the studies I read on National institute of health/ PubMed showed anything below 20 mm/Hg was normal and anything above was indicative of the syndrome. Post exercise I had measurements in excess of 70 mm/Hg and my lateral compartment on my left calf was 109mm/Hg!

Now So I did not have to have an emergency fasciotomy. I had fasciotomy scheduled for all eight compartments (four per calf). I had that done on January 10th of this year (2024)

It's now February 3rd and three of the four incisions have healed well but one on my left shin has not. It's still oozing with serous fluid (which is good because previously it was a lot of serosanguinous) and there was a massive hematoma in each calf post surgery due to the presence of so many blood vessels damaged during the surgery.

I on the tendons around my ankle (peroneal, etc) an extensive bruising in my feet as well as my hamstrings. When elevating my legs after surgery, excess blood from the hematoma flowed down into my thighs and caused extreme bruising. And I mean extreme.

Right now my main concern is when I can actually get back on my feet to start running. I can walk around but I have to keep changing my bandage out on my left calf. The drainage has gone down to a small amount. But I like we still have swelling and there is still bruising in my right foot. The waiting game is awful.

If anyone has any questions please let me know. Or if anyone has any advice on how to get back into the game post surgery, I'd love to hear it.

Hi armadillon,

I was just diagnosed with Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome (CECS) as well. Would you happen to know if the surgery limits any future muscles gains, full return of strength and will affect an individual’s sprinting speed? I am most likely going to get this surgery soon and would like to know if anyone knows the answers to these questions/has first hand experience before I talk to doctors.

Thanks!

Carlo