I have compartment syndrome in my lower legs.  Walking around is ok, but anything more high intensity leaves me in terrible pain.  I've seen the consultant orthopaedic surgeon a few times and they said the next step would be surgery, but I've heard too many stories about it going wrong and people ending up even worse than they were before.  So what higher intensity cardio can I do that won't flare the compartment syndrome up?  Not swimming, as I get ear infections and I find swimming pools absolutely disgusting anyway.

Also, anyone here had the surgery?