{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,13]],"date-time":"2026-06-13T15:14:50Z","timestamp":1781363690804,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,23]],"date-time":"2026-05-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779494400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JFMK"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) is a limb-threatening surgical emergency most commonly associated with fractures or high-energy trauma. Non-fracture-related ACS in athletes is uncommon and may lead to delayed diagnosis. Repetitive blunt trauma during combat sports has rarely been described as a potential mechanism. Case Methods: The case concerns a 21-year-old elite-level kickboxing athlete who developed acute compartment syndrome of the left lower leg following repeated calf kicks sustained during sparring. The patient presented with rapidly progressive calf pain, swelling, compartment firmness, paresthesias and weight bearing difficulties. CT angiography demonstrated diffuse edema of the posterior compartments associated with a large intramuscular soleus hematoma without active arterial bleeding. Results: In view of the severity of the symptoms and the characteristic clinical presentation, an emergency fasciotomy was performed in operating room. Progressive closure was achieved using the vessel loop shoelace technique, allowing gradual tension-free closure. Wound healing progressed without infection, and physiotherapy was introduced with joint mobilization. The patient achieved full functional recovery after 6 months. Conclusions: This case illustrates an atypical etiology of ACS\u2014repetitive targeted calf strikes\u2014and underscores the importance of early recognition even in the absence of fracture or major trauma. Clinical vigilance remains paramount, and prompt surgical intervention is critical to prevent irreversible muscle and nerve damage. Awareness of such mechanisms is particularly relevant for clinicians managing athletes in combat sports. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of ACS secondary to repeated calf kicks in kickboxing.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jfmk11020206","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,25]],"date-time":"2026-05-25T00:30:33Z","timestamp":1779669033000},"page":"206","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Acute Compartment Syndrome Following Repeated Calf Kicks in an Elite-Level Kickboxing Athlete: A Case Report of a Rare Non-Fracture-Related Complication"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Sacha","family":"Beca","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Free University of Brussels (ULB), CP 619-1070 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-5750-978X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bonnange-Michael","family":"Fundu Ngoie Zola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Center-Brugmann, CHU Brugmann, 1020 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kalenga Gracia","family":"Bundo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Center-Brugmann, CHU Brugmann, 1020 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3093-0183","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Arnaud","family":"Delafontaine","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIAMS, Paris-Saclay University, 91404 Orsay, France"},{"name":"Laboratoire D\u2019Anatomie Fonctionnelle, Facult\u00e9 des Sciences de la Motricit\u00e9, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, CP 619-1070 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Virginie","family":"Cordemans","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Center-Brugmann, CHU Brugmann, 1020 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1097\/BLO.0b013e318032561f","article-title":"The Classic: Ischaemic muscle paralyses and contractures","volume":"456","year":"2007","journal-title":"Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.2174\/1874325001408010185","article-title":"The pathophysiology, diagnosis and current management of acute compartment syndrome","volume":"8","author":"Donaldson","year":"2014","journal-title":"Open Orthop. J."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1097\/00003086-197511000-00007","article-title":"Tissue pressure measurements as a determinant for the need of fasciotomy","volume":"113","author":"Whitesides","year":"1975","journal-title":"Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1302\/0301-620X.78B1.0780099","article-title":"Compartment monitoring in tibial fractures: The pressure threshold for decompression","volume":"78","author":"McQueen","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Bone Jt. Surg. Br."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"361","DOI":"10.2106\/JBJS.I.00411","article-title":"Physicians\u2019 ability to manually detect isolated elevations in leg intracompartmental pressure","volume":"92","author":"Shuler","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Bone Jt. Surg. Am."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"572","DOI":"10.1097\/00005131-200209000-00006","article-title":"The clinical diagnosis of compartment syndrome of the lower leg: Are clinical findings predictive of the disorder?","volume":"16","author":"Ulmer","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Orthop. Trauma"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"699","DOI":"10.1097\/BOT.0b013e31826df980","article-title":"What\u2019s new in acute compartment syndrome?","volume":"26","author":"Harvey","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Orthop. Trauma"},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"735","article-title":"Variation in diagnosis of compartment syndrome by surgeons treating tibial shaft fractures","volume":"67","author":"Whitney","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Trauma"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1091","DOI":"10.2106\/00004623-197860080-00012","article-title":"Acute compartment syndromes: Diagnosis and treatment with the aid of the wick catheter","volume":"60","author":"Mubarak","year":"1978","journal-title":"J. Bone Jt. Surg. Am."},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"1005","article-title":"Investigating correlation of lower extremity muscle compartment syndrome with muscle-related serum enzyme tests: Is any reliable biomarker?","volume":"9","author":"Minaee","year":"2016","journal-title":"Biomed. Pharmacol. J."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e16260","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000016260","article-title":"Acute compartment syndrome: Cause, diagnosis, and new viewpoint","volume":"98","author":"Guo","year":"2019","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Torlincasi, A.M., Lopez, R.A., and Waseem, M. (2025). Acute Compartment Syndrome, StatPearls."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"Catonn\u00e9, Y., Khiami, F., and Depiesse, F. (2021). Traumatologie en Pratique Sportive, Elsevier Masson."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1097\/00003086-197511000-00008","article-title":"The pathophysiology of the ant\u00e9rior tibial compartmental syndrome","volume":"113","author":"Rorabeck","year":"1975","journal-title":"Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"198","DOI":"10.1177\/1941738120973674","article-title":"Lower Extremity Compartment Syndrome in National Football League Athletes","volume":"13","author":"Lamplot","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sport Health"},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"e52820","article-title":"Acute Anterior Thigh Compartment Syndrome in a Young Mixed Martial Arts Fighter","volume":"16","author":"Bukhamas","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"244","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rbo.2017.02.005","article-title":"Segmental decompressive fasciotomy for acute non-traumatic compartment syndrome in a professional soccer player: Case report","volume":"53","author":"Baumfeld","year":"2018","journal-title":"Rev. Bras. Ortop."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"O\u2019Keeffe, P. (2007). Kick Boxing: The Ultimate Guide to Conditioning, Sparring, Fighting, and More, Skyhorse Publishing."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"308","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsm.35.5.308","article-title":"Injury and injury rates in Muay Thai kick boxing","volume":"35","author":"Gartland","year":"2001","journal-title":"Br. J. Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"220","DOI":"10.1097\/00005131-200404000-00005","article-title":"Acute compartment syndrome in the absence of fracture","volume":"18","author":"Hope","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Orthop. Trauma"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"509","DOI":"10.1177\/03635465010290042101","article-title":"Acute exercise-induced compartment syndrome in the anterior leg: A case report","volume":"29","author":"Esmail","year":"2001","journal-title":"Am. J. Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1097\/BOT.0b013e3182163367","article-title":"Compartment syndrome after low-energy tibia fractures sustained during athletic competition","volume":"26","author":"Wind","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Orthop. Trauma"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"288","DOI":"10.1249\/JSR.0b013e3181c22755","article-title":"Acute exercise-induced compartment syndrome of the lower leg: A case report","volume":"8","author":"Shah","year":"2009","journal-title":"Curr. Sports Med. Rep."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e108","DOI":"10.5435\/JAAOS-D-19-00270","article-title":"Management of Acute Compartment Syndrome","volume":"28","author":"Osborn","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Orthop. Surg."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"441","DOI":"10.1097\/TA.0b013e31827a0a36","article-title":"Serum creatine kinase levels are associated with extremity compartment syndrome","volume":"74","author":"Valdez","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Trauma Acute Care Surg."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e12334","DOI":"10.1002\/emp2.12334","article-title":"Utility of laboratory markers in evaluating for acute compartment syndrome in the emergency department","volume":"2","author":"Weingart","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Am. Coll. Emerg. Physicians Open"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"913","DOI":"10.1016\/j.otsr.2010.08.001","article-title":"Acute compartment syndrome of the leg: Pressure measurement and fasciotomy","volume":"96","author":"Masquelet","year":"2010","journal-title":"Orthop. Traumatol. Surg. Res."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"435","DOI":"10.1016\/0002-9610(94)90130-9","article-title":"Shoelace technique for delayed primary closure of fasciotomies","volume":"167","author":"Berman","year":"1994","journal-title":"Am. J. Surg."}],"container-title":["Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2411-5142\/11\/2\/206\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,26]],"date-time":"2026-05-26T09:06:11Z","timestamp":1779786371000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2411-5142\/11\/2\/206"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,23]]},"references-count":28,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]}},"alternative-id":["jfmk11020206"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jfmk11020206","relation":{},"ISSN":["2411-5142"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2411-5142","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,23]]}}}