title: Results of the surgical treatment of the medial tibial syndrome in athletes.
abstract: The medial tibial syndrome (chronic compartment syndrome) is the most common specific overuse injury among athletes in Finland, and it is especially a problem in endurance sports, long-distance running, and jogging. Conservative treatment is usually successful, but if it fails, fasciotomy of the deep posterior compartment is observed to be beneficial. In the years 1975-1984, we performed fasciotomy in 34 patients, of whom 14 had a bilateral operation. Thirty-one patients were active in sports, 22 were long-distance runners and joggers. The operations of 15 patients (22 legs) were performed under local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. The follow-up results in general were good. In 21 patients (78%) of those 27 who could be followed up, the final result was excellent or good, in 4 (15%) fair, and only in 2 (7%) poor. Fasciotomy is a simple operation and can be performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia. For bilateral symptoms, we recommend two different procedures with a time interval of about 2 weeks to avoid the postoperative hematoma and difficulties in mobilization often seen, when operated simultaneously.
authors.affiliation: Tampere Research Station of Sports Medicine, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Järvinnen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aho
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niittymäki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012420:Running; D013977:Tibia