If you frequently experience pain in your shins when running or participating in another sport, then you may suspect that you suffer from shin splints. However, if this shin pain continues to return every time you run or play a sport even when you feel like you are doing everything you can to prevent it, then this pain may instead be caused by a medical condition called exertional compartment syndrome. 

Read on to learn about chronic exertional compartment syndrome and how a sports medicine doctor can help ease or eliminate the shin pain this problem can cause. 

Exertional Compartment Syndrome Causes

All muscles expand during exercise as lactic acid they produce draws water into them and blood flow inside of them increases. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome occurs when the fascia that surrounds a muscle does not stretch enough to allow the muscle(s) inside of it to expand properly. As the muscle attempts to expand, the fascia places painful pressure on the muscle and limb. 

While most cases of chronic exertional compartment syndrome do not lead to muscle damage, if the tight fascia restricts too much blood flow to the muscle for an extended period of time, tissue damage could potentially occur. 

Additional Symptoms of This Condition

In addition to shin and calf pain and pressure, some people suffering from chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the lower leg also experience the following symptoms: 

• Lower leg numbness or tinging during exercise
• Lower leg weakness
• Calf muscle swelling

These symptoms typically begin occurring during the midst of intense exercise and stop shortly after exercise has ceased. 

How a Sports Medicine Doctor Can Help

If you suspect that you may suffer from chronic exertional compartment syndrome, then you should visit a sports medicine doctor who can perform tests to determine if you have this condition and recommend a treatment plan. This doctor may order an advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or perform compartment pressure testing to determine if you suffer from compartment syndrome. 

After this, they may recommend physical therapy exercises that help reduce or eliminate chronic compartment syndrome symptoms over time. If physical therapy and lifestyle changes are not enough to eliminate this problem, then a surgery called a fasciotomy may be recommended. During this surgery, several incisions are made into overly tight fascia to provide the muscle more room to expand during exercise. 

If you think that you suffer from shin splints, but your shin pain during exercise keeps returning no matter what you do, then visit a sports medicine physician. They will determine if you actually suffer from chronic exertional compartment syndrome and obtain treatment that helps eliminate your shin pain during exercise. For more information, contact a sports medicine doctor.