Rehabilitation and return to activity criteria after operative management of chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the leg: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Endurance athletes with chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) frequently require fasciotomy to return to activity, but there are no existing comprehensive evidence-based rehabilitation guidelines. We aimed to summarize rehabilitation protocols and return to activity criteria after CECS surgery.

METHODS: Through a systematic literature review, we identified 27 articles that explicitly defined physician-imposed restrictions or guidelines for patients to resume athletic activities following CECS surgery.

RESULTS: Common rehabilitation parameters included running restrictions (51.9%), postoperative leg compression (48.1%), immediate postoperative ambulation (44.4%), and early range of motion exercises (37.0%). Most studies (70.4%) reported return to activity timelines, but few (11.1%) utilized subjective criteria for guiding return to activity. No studies utilized objective functional criteria.

CONCLUSIONS: Rehabilitation and return to activity guidelines after CECS surgery remain poorly defined, and further investigation is needed to develop such guidelines that will enable endurance athletes to safely return to activities and minimize recurrence.