Dr Jonathan Finnoff, DO, is the Medical Director for Mayo Clinic Square, Sports Medicine Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine. He benefits from his experience as a former professional athlete in his work as the Team Physician for professional basketball teams -- the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx.
Dr Finnoff addresses the case of a 24 year old basketball player who has calf pain that stops her from playing but responds relatively quickly when she stops running.
Timeline
• The differential diagnoses include chronic exertional compartment syndrome, vascular problems such as popliteal artery entrapment, as well as neurological causes
• Physical examination is critical and there are some key tests to distinguish those different pathologies
• The role of investigations including imaging
• How does one make the compartment pressure diagnosis?
• Treatment for chronic exertional compartment syndrome including gait retraining
• More aggressive treatment including use of the meniscotome, botox injection and surgery
• Outcomes of treatment including botox and surgery
Link to previous podcasts:
This podcast is complemented by one with Professor Francis O’Connor: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/professor-francis-oconnor-from-the-amssm-challenging-leg-paincalf-pain-and-military-injuries?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/bjsm-1
Andy Franklin-Miller’s BJSM podcast on exertional compartment syndrome and gait retraining: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/running-injuries-with-andy
Andy Cornelius on how to assess a runner and what to do when you see abnormalities:
https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/keeping-runnners-running-the-secrets-of-running-assessment-advice-and-exercise-progressions