chronic exertional compartment syndrome Professional Rider Returns to the Sport He Loves

Submitted by Mississippi Valley Surgery Center

or Kurtis Manderscheid from Maquoketa, Iowa, motocross is more than a recreational activity — it’s a passion. So when a F broken wrist resulted in painful pressure in his forearm that made it unbearable to ride, he knew he had to take action. “I saw motocross on TV for the first time when I was 8 years old, and I knew right away that it was what I wanted to do with my life. After years of begging my parents, they finally bought me my first dirt bike when I was 11. I started in 2002 at local tracks around Iowa and Illinois,” said Kurtis. “After nine years of racing as an amateur, I earned my pro license.” Motocross — a form of off-road racing — is held in all weather conditions on enclosed off-road circuits. The fact that a moto- cross racer must keep complete control of a bike weighing 200 lbs. or more — while maintaining their top speed throughout numerous laps of the race — makes the sport very physically demanding. When Kurtis broke his right wrist during a training run in Oklahoma in 2012, he turned to Dr. Tyson Cobb, a fellowship-trained hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder surgeon with Orthopaedic Specialists (OS). Dr. Cobb was able to fix the break by inserting pins into his wrist. These include pain medications, stretching, massage, and activity But when Kurtis started riding again the scar tissue from his break modifications. lead him to develop a condition common with motocross riders called When none of these approaches helped, Kurtis and Dr. Cobb de- chronic exertional compartment syndrome or “arm pump.” The condi- cided to proceed with a surgical procedure on his forearm called fas- tion makes arms feel like concrete blocks and often causes hands to ciotomy. Dr. Cobb used minimally invasive techniques to cut the fascia go numb. and relieve pressure to the tight compartments in Kurtis’ forearm. Dr. “The pain in my arm was starting to get in the way of me riding, so Cobb has dedicated much of his career to becoming one of the world’s I knew I had to find the best solution,” said Kurtis. experts on minimally invasive surgery of the upper extremity, and he After visiting with multiple other doctors, Kurtis again turned to Dr. holds several design patents for minimally invasive surgical equipment. Cobb for help. Together they agreed on conservative treatments and “Dr. Cobb really listened to us,” said Debbie Manderscheid, Kurtis’ chiropractor visits to see if that would help alleviate the pain. When that mother. “We visited with other doctors during this time but Dr. Cobb didn’t help, Dr. Cobb performed a minimally invasive surgical procedure really made us feel comfortable with the minimally invasive approach. on Kurtis’ right forearm at the Mississippi Valley Surgery Center, a multi- He did lots of tests and it was truly a collaborative decision.” specialty outpatient surgery center in Davenport. “Minimally invasive procedures are performed through small por- The minimally invasive procedure worked. Only one week after sur- tals, eliminating the need for large incisions, which result in less post- gery, the professional athlete was back on his bike and ready to take operative pain and scarring,” said Dr. Cobb. “This surgical approach, on the motocross world. coupled with the fantastic care at the Mississippi Valley Surgery Center, enables patients to recover faster with better results.” What is chronic exertional compartment syndrome? This was certainly the case for Kurtis. He was resting comfortably at Chronic exertional compartment syndrome causes pain, swelling home just hours after his surgery. One week later he was back riding and sometimes even disability in affected muscles of the legs or arms. his bike. Pain of the affected limb starts shortly after exercising and progres- “He has almost no scarring,” said Debbie Manderscheid, Kurtis’ sively worsens. It ranges from aching, burning, tightness, numbness mother. “The old fashioned way of doing this type of surgery results and weakness of the affected arm or leg, depending on the severity of in big scars and requires lots of physical therapy. We are so proud of the case. Kurtis’ accomplishments and can’t thank Dr. Cobb enough.” “While anyone can develop chronic exertional compartment syn- drome, it’s more common in athletes who participate in sports that For more information about Dr. Cobb and Orthopaedic Specialists, involve forceful repetitive impact exercise,” said Dr. Cobb. visit www.osquadcities.com. For more information about the Missis- sippi Valley Surgery Center, visit www.mvhealth.net or on Facebook at Treatment options www.facebook.com/MississippiValleySurgery Center. Like Kurtis, many patients suffering from exertional compartment syndrome initially try conservative treatment options to improve pain. Photo courtesy of Mississippi Valley Surgery Center

Page 24 — Healthy Cells Magazine — Quad Cities ­— November 2014