Prevalence of chronic compartment syndrome of the legs: Implications for clinical diagnostic criteria and therapy

摘要

Introduction: Poorly defined musculoskeletal disorders are a common clinical problem and have considerable psychosocial impact. Chronic compartment syndrome (CCS) of the legs has primarily been noted in young athletes and soldiers. The epidemiology of CCS in the general population has not been studied previously. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of CCS of the legs in the general population and to study its association with possible etiological factors.Methods: A two-stage population survey was performed, using a questionnaire followed by clinical examination. A sample of 3000 individuals aged 25-75 years was randomly selected from the general population. A clinical examination was offered to those answering "Yes" to the following question: "Do you wake up at nights due to leg pains or cramps, causing you to walk around?" Intracompartmental pressures in the leg were measured in 13 persons randomly selected from among those diagnosed with CCS after the clinical examination.