The anterior compartment of the leg is bounded by the tibia medially, fibula laterally, interosseous membrane posteriorly, and crural fascia anteriorly. It contains tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus, fibularis tertius, the deep peroneal nerve, and the anterior tibial artery. Normal resting pressure is below 10 mmHg.
Acute anterior compartment syndrome is the most common compartmental emergency of the lower leg, occurring after tibial fractures, crush injury, or reperfusion. Intracompartmental pressure above 30 mmHg or within 30 mmHg of diastolic pressure warrants immediate fasciotomy. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome produces reproducible exercise-induced anterior shin pain relieved by rest, diagnosed by post-exercise pressure measurement.
Rapidly rising intracompartmental pressure after tibial fracture or crush injury producing the five Ps, requiring emergency four-compartment fasciotomy.
Reversible pressure elevation in the anterior compartment during exercise causing activity-related leg pain and foot drop, treated by fasciotomy release when conservative measures fail.
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.
If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.
Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.
Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.
