Anterior compartment syndrome is not that common in runners but when it does occur it can be challenging to treat.
There are generally two ways to treat anterior compartment syndrome:
Gait modification:
There is some evidence that changing the touch down angle or even going to a midfoot or forefoot strike as opposed to a heel strike when running helps. By doing this the load or forces that the anterior tibial muscle is subjected to is decreased. Gait retraining can take time, so ICE and other pain relieving interventions may be needed in the short term.
Surgery:
A surgical decompression of the compartment that surrounds the anterior tibial muscle allows the muscle to expand with the constriction that leads to the compartment syndrome. The surgery is not major as it is mostly soft tissue work.
