What the heck is Compartment Syndrome, anyway???

"Is this something I could have done to myself?" I texted Dr. V., although I already fully knew the answer.
     "Yes," was the simple reply I received back.  I shook my head.  I didn't want to hear it 'officially,' but there I had it - right there on my iPhone.  My doc also texted me that the condition I had, bilateral anterior exertional compartment syndrome, was really rare.  This wasn't the first I had heard of a rare injury on my part.  I had also previously so severely sprained the peroneal ankle ligaments in my left leg - the likes of which she had never seen.  These rarities did not make me feel any better.  And thinking back upon how I might have done this to myself wasn't cheering me any.  Was it the training for the hilly 10K I for which I was registered?  Was it the new minimalist sneakers I was sporting?  A combination thereof?  All of these questions would remain unanswered.  Dreams of Princess Halfs and other bucket list races dashed for good.

But what the heck is Compartment Syndrome anyway?  (Besides dasher of dreams, I mean.)  As per WebMD.com:

Compartment syndrome occurs when excessive pressure builds up inside an enclosed space in the body. Compartment syndrome usually results from bleeding or swelling after an injury. The dangerously high pressure in compartment syndrome impedes the flow of blood to and from the affected tissues. It can be an emergency, requiring surgery to prevent permanent injury.

Groups of organs or muscles are organized into areas called compartments. Strong webs of connective tissue called fascia form the walls of these compartments.
After an injury, blood or edema (fluid resulting from inflammation or injury) may accumulate in the compartment. The tough walls of fascia cannot easily expand, and compartment pressure rises, preventing adequate blood flow to tissues inside the compartment. Severe tissue damage can result, with loss of body function or even death.
The legs, arms, and abdomen are most prone to developing compartment syndrome.

MayoClinic.com continues with the following:

Taking a complete break from exercise or performing only low-impact activity may relieve your symptoms, but usually only temporarily. Once you take up running again, for instance, those familiar symptoms usually come back.

If you experience unusual pain, swelling, weakness, loss of sensation, or soreness related to exercise or sports activities, talk to your doctor immediately, because these symptoms may be associated with conditions that require emergency medical treatment. Don't try to exercise through the pain, as that may lead to permanent muscle or nerve damage — and jeopardize continued participation in your favorite sports.

Sometimes chronic exertional compartment syndrome is mistaken for shin splints, a more common cause of leg pain in young people who do lots of vigorous weight-bearing activity, such as running. If you think you have shin splints but they don't get better with self-care, talk to your doctor.

Well, I had certainly been diagnosed with shin splints too.  And wore a cast for a month due to my severe sprains.  And a boot for two weeks after that.  But I would also be remiss if I neglected to mention the cold laser therapy I tried, or the kenesio tape, or the physical therapy.  As per Doctor V. it can be very difficult to diagnose compartment syndrome, and from what I've read, it can sometimes take up to a year. Therefore, I should be grateful I got the diagnosis within eight rocking months.  And let's not get into the testing for this lovely ailment - that's a whole new post entirely for another day.

So what the heck is compartment syndrome?  It is a game changer, of that I am certain.  But choosing to see the positive, I can honestly say that while my running dreams may have crossed their final finish line, I have started a new chapter in which I have not only achieved my fitness goals but I have a career helping others do the same. 

Not a completely horrible trade off, if I do say so myself.

 

Another Fitness Blog - seriously?!

The world is full of fitness blogs.  Trust me; go on Twitter and see for yourself.  Some of the most fabulous writers are Tweeting and self-promoting their careers and their love of fitness.  They motivate.  They move.  And for what feels like an eternity, I was devotedly following every one of them as a runner and fitness fanatic myself.  I learned new skills.  I gleaned new tips.  I was genuinely inspired by so many.  But I never composed a blog of my own.  Why should I, when there are so many who have come before me who were doing it so much better?

Then something changed.  Well, lots of things, actually.  My "running career" came to a grinding halt with a leg injury that continued to be mis-diagnosed.  First it was shin splints, later it was severe ligament sprains.  Determined to not give up my devotion for fitness, I began to study (and study hard!) as I sat around the house in crutches and cast and prepared for my Personal Trainer Certification.  It's not like I was leaving the house to go for a jog, after all!

And after much studying and tons of stress, I officially became a Certified Personal Trainer - hooray!

But a certification can be little more than the bare minimum required to actually go out and demonstrate your passion for exercise and train the public at large.  Next stop?  EMPLOYMENT. 

After many stops at many gyms (and what I thought were fabulous interviews!) I got hired as a personal trainer.  But trainers need to sell themselves and get clients in order to be actual 'paid' personal trainers.  Baby steps.

Which brings you, my dear reader, up to date.  I have recently been diagnosed with Compartment Syndrome, which means no more running or risk killing the tissues in my legs (not an option) or have surgery to correct the condition. (Also not an option as I have the kind of bad luck that would result in horrible side effects of said surgery.) I have a couple of clients and continue to hone my personal trainer sales pitch every day.  I might even be getting better at it.  Fingers crossed.  My hope is that if I can reach even one person who can relate to what I deal with every day and that if I can make a difference in their life, I have made the right choice in sharing my day-to-day trials and tribulations by creating yet another fitness blog.  With any luck, YOU might be that person.