Not part of the job description
January 31, 2011
Posted by:Alison Hinder
Most people have never heard of compartment syndrome, but if you are unfortunate enough to suffer a bout of this excruciatingly painful condition is not something you are likely to forget. Most cases occur in compartments in the forearms or lower legs following trauma. Nerves, muscles and blood vessels are compressed when the connective tissues making the structures of each compartment do not expand. Eventually the pressure becomes so great that affected tissue dies from a lack of oxygen. In military compensation claims we often see military personnel with chronic compartment syndrome that arises during tabbing, where the same muscle groups are overused. Sometimes, the pain and early symptoms are dismissed as being part of the physical demands of military life. However, the damage caused by compartment syndrome can lead to a medical discharge and recovery is painful and slow. This condition needs to be more widely acknowledged to ensure that the early symptoms are not dismissed as part of the job.