Abstract
Intramuscular pressures were measured in 12 patients with symptoms of medial tibial
syndrome and in 12 patients with chronic anterior compartment syndrome. Measurements
were performed with the wick catheter technique simultaneously in the deep posterior
and the anterior tibial muscle compartments before, during, and after exercise. In
the deep posterior compartment there was no pressure increase during or after exercise
as compared to controls in either patient group. However, a significant pressure increase
was present in the anterior tibial compartment during and after exercise in the patients
with chronic anterior compartment syndrome as compared to normal resting values. The
medial tibial syndrome patients demonstrated in the anterior tibial muscle compartment,
exercise and post-exercise pressures, which were between those of the healthy controls
and the chronic anterior compartment syndrome patients. The so-called medial tibial
syndrome is probably not a compartment syndrome in the deep posterior muscle compartment.
Intramuscular pressure measurement is a valuable tool in diagnosing a chronic compartment
syndrome and in selecting patients in whom fasciotomy of the affected compartment
is indicated.
Key words
intramuscular pressure - lower leg pain - medial tibial syndrome - chronic anterior
compartment syndrome
