A patient presents with a tibia fracture and what appears to be pain out of proportion to the injury. Besides the unusual level of pain, what is the earliest clinical indicator of compartment syndrome?

A patient presents with a tibia fracture and what appears to be pain out of proportion to the injury. Besides the unusual level of pain, what is the earliest clinical indicator of compartment syndrome?

The correct answer is C. This is a useful quick test that can raise your level of suspicion when evaluating a patient. Answers B and C are incorrect because these are usually late findings where the patient has already suffered muscle damage.

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