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Does Lump On Shin Indicate Compartment Syndrome?
My husband fell forward in a hole 3 weeks ago and had a large bump on his shin. It went down with heat and ice and his leg and foot turned blue until it reached his toes. Now the lump on his shin is still there and very swollen in the area of the injury. Does not have a lot of pain. No pain in back of leg for clot . Worried about compartment syndrome.
Fri, 19 Dec 2014
Hello and welcome to HCM,
A history of trauma with development of bump on the shin suggests a hematoma formation.
Trauma can lead to internal bleeding and collection of blood under skin.
Bluish discoloration develops after formation of hematoma and thus the bluish discoloration can be due to hematoma formation.
The hematoma usually resolves spontaneously and the bluish discoloration also fades away with time.
Thus, you can wait for some days to allow the swelling and bluish discoloration to disappear.
Compartment syndrome is characterized by severe pain and it requires decompression to allow the pressure to reduce.
In case the swelling does not reduce and the pain also increases, you can consult your primary healthcare provider for a clinical assessment.
Any injury or abrasion on the skin should be covered with proper dressing.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal
A history of trauma with development of bump on the shin suggests a hematoma formation.
Trauma can lead to internal bleeding and collection of blood under skin.
Bluish discoloration develops after formation of hematoma and thus the bluish discoloration can be due to hematoma formation.
The hematoma usually resolves spontaneously and the bluish discoloration also fades away with time.
Thus, you can wait for some days to allow the swelling and bluish discoloration to disappear.
Compartment syndrome is characterized by severe pain and it requires decompression to allow the pressure to reduce.
In case the swelling does not reduce and the pain also increases, you can consult your primary healthcare provider for a clinical assessment.
Any injury or abrasion on the skin should be covered with proper dressing.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal
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