title: Acute compartment syndrome of the thigh in a rugby player.
abstract: In the absence of obvious trauma, diagnosis of acute compartment syndrome (ACS) of the thigh can easily be delayed, as disproportional pain is not always present. We present a case of ACS of the anterior right thigh compartment in a healthy, semiprofessional rugby player with normal coagulation, who sustained a seemingly innocuous blow during a rugby match. Following early surgical fasciotomy, he returned to his preinjury playing standards within 12 months. Our literature review suggests that high muscle mass, young, athletic males participating in a contact sport are mostly at risk of developing ACS of the thigh.
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Richard David James
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rust-March
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kluzek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005205:Fascia / Q000293:injuries*; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles; D012307:Risk Factors; D013848:Thigh / Q000293:injuries*