Hamstring Avulsion (complete tear from pelvis)

[Randy]

day 6
The pain has decreased some, but still on vicodin. I have a lot of swelling that is giving me some concern. I ve been putting a lot of ice on the area but that doesn't seem to help. Also, I have elivated the leg.
Randy

[aspenjohnson]

Hang in there Randy - Ice is good, but honestly didn't help me a lot either with the swelling - don't use heat at this point.

Better than all the treatment out there, I bought myself a PS3!!! I can kick butt at Metal Gear Solid 4 now - grin. I am 33 days post-op, and this morning was the first morning I woke up without pain.

Set little goals Randy - next for you is probablly getting your staples/stitches out. I had mine out at 10 days. One of the things that bothered me the most was areas of numbness behind the knee, and had a weird pattern that moved up the back of my leg. That is slowly getting better.

Randy, have you been getting out of bed much? I got out of bed and hobbled around for about 5minutes every hour just to remind my body that my leg was still there. Just make sure and keep the brace on. I left mine on in bed as well, as per the doctor, but would loosen it just to let it breathe every once in a while. About 5 days out, I took it off once for the whole day, and really regretted it - It hurt soooooo bad the next day.

Have you managed to shower or take a bath? Showering is best at this point - you don't want to soak in warm water. My first shower, I wrapped the brace in a garbage bag, although I could have gotten it wet, I didn't want to. By the end of the first week, I took the brace off to shower, but was extremely careful.

Keep us posted Randy,

Vince

[Amy R]

Vince:
Just saw your other post, and now know that you did have the procedure. thanks for the advise. I have read that the Drs, usually try to use 3 anchors to attach the tendon to the tuberosity. My dr was able to use one anchor, and told my wife that there wasn't room for any others.

I've already put the blow up ring in the box and will have my wife return it this week. I will try to keep everyone posted on a daily bases on my progress. I hope it will be helpful since it is a rare procedure. My Dr. even said, we will both learn as we go.

I had a waterskiing accident 5 days ago. The bruising and swelling make it look like i was beaten with a baseball bat. I went to the ER and the doc said it was just a strain (after x-ray) i then went to my internist who sent me for MRI - I am unable to lay on my stomach and lift my leg, I can not sit on the injured side, have numbness down my leg... I am assuming that I will need surgery - how long does the procedure take? Does it require a stay in the hospital or is it day surgery? I work on my feet - and according to postings I have read I will be on crutches for quite awhile - how long?

[Randy]

Day 7
Pain a little better. Had an ultra sound yesterday to make sure I didn't have deep vein thrombosis; showering every other day without much problem. The big issue for me is getting my clothing on. This morning it took me 15 minutes, and after I was done, felt that I had stretched my stitches and was sweating like I had run a marathon. For some reason most of the pain is located at my foot and calf and the area of the surgery.
Vince: appreciate your input. You?ve had a tough month. I was happy to hear that you?re starting to become pain free.
Amy: was the MRI positive for a detached hamstring. If so, you need to find a surgeon in your area that his done the procedure. It?s not one that is done every day. Google ?Sulley and hamstring?. He?s done a lot of research and is a sports surgeon in Indianapolis. The surgeon that did my procedure had done only one prior to mine.
The surgery takes from one to two and a half hours depending on the nerve involvement. Mine took two hours. It was an outpatient procedure.

[Randy]

Vince:
I too try to get out of bed on an hourly basis, using my crutches. Mainly going to the restroom or to the kitchen to get water. I have decreased the amount of vicodin. Yestesterday I had 6, 500 mg. I only take the brace off when I shower. I'll get my staples out on the 11th.

Again, thanks for your help and suggestions

[aspenjohnson]

Amy,

My surgery was fairly quick - about 5 1/2 hours total in the hospital. Make sure and check with your insurance company - after my surgery, they informed me that if I could have had it done at an outpatient clinic, it would have been much cheaper. As far as recovery time, that depends on a lot of different things.

I think the average recommended for post op are: 4-6 weeks before you can start physical therapy (the brace will probably be taken off at this time). Then 4-6 weeks of physical therapy, during which time they will ween you first down to one crutch (I'm there right now at 5 weeks post-op), and then ween you to a cane (going to request that today). I am honestly hoping for myself to be almost finished with physical therapy by the end of next week.

You should be "walking" somewhat normal in 8-12 weeks. Full return to activity is averaged at about 6 months from everything I read. If you're like me, you may never have the desire to waterski again - lol.

I am trying to make my initial recovery in 6 weeks total - but my repair didn't go as planned, and they re-attached my muscle half way up the leg to another muscle instead of the ischial spot, because it had avulsed too far and the scar tissue it formed needed to be removed, so it wouldn't reach. This will mean slightly less strenth in the end, but a faster recovery for me.

For me, probably the most limiting thing was that I could stand on the crutches or lie down, but I couldn't sit up in a chair for the first 4 weeks post-op. Makes it harder to pass the time when you can't sit up for company, or to watch a movie, or go out to eat.

This is all my situation, and things I have read - you may have totally different times and pains and recovery. There is a fine line between babying the injury and pushing it too far for recovery - don't do something stupid (like I almost did) to set yourself back even further. And one fo the biggest things is don't put the surgery off too long. Everyone recommends the sooner the better. Also, get multiple opinions, especially if your doc says they want to treat it conservatively. You should also get a referral to an Orthopaedic Specialist in sports medicine. This injury is rare enough that the other docs will have heard of it, but may not know exact treatment and severity.

Good luck with everything Amy, and keep us posted!!

Vince

[aspenjohnson]

Hey Randy,

Sounds like you're doing okay at this point. I just realized that you didn't tell us how you did your injury. Hope it was something exciting. I keep wanting to make up a story about mine, instead of "my waterski tip caught the wake and jerked my leg out". I was teaching a group of kids with autism how to waterski at the time though! Of course I probably scared the crap out of them - grin.

Vince

[Randy]

Vince:
Having a not so great day, do to my limitations in mobility, and realizing I have a long way to go. In sum, feeling sorry for myself.
I believe the major tear happened playing racquetball, but the straw that broke the camel’s back was pulling on my heavy desk to check on my WiFi connection. That’s when it popped, and I felt immediate pain. The reason for the four month delay was that the MRI showed stage 1 avasular neurosis AVN. I recreational scuba dive, and the physician’s believe that the deep dives caused the AVN. One factor was that I had just come back from a drive in Ixtapa, when my symptoms increased in severity. Anyway, it took them 4 months to rule out the AVN as a cause of the hip and leg pain.
Tomorrow’s another day, and I’m confident that it will be a good one. Again I appreciate the advice.
Randy

[Amy R]

well, sadly, I predicted right. I have a cmplete avulsion of my hamstring on my left leg. The surgery is scheduled for today 8/7 at 1:30pm. I am lucky to be located in Boston, and to have the medical resources that comes along with that. I am going to Mass General, i was a bit wary when the surgeon pointed out how rare of an injury this is. That it has only been treated surgically for 5 years. I am scared to death - more about the recovery than the actual surgery itself. I am very active and the thought of being layed up in a supine (?) posistion is unfathomable. I would appreciate any feedback of how people dealt with this aspect. I am horrible about asking others to do for me....

[Randy]

Amy: sorry to hear about the diagnosis, and upcoming surgery. I'm only 8 days out, so can't be of much help, except to say that for the most part you’ll be in bed, with your leg elevated and in a brace. You'll be able to get around with crutches, but it is fatiguing. Going to the restroom is extremely difficult, but you’ll find your own solutions that will work for you in your home. Vince (a member of this board) told me that none of the bathroom gadgets will work, and he’s right. You just have to tough it out.
This morning, I woke up at 5:00 in mild-moderate pain. I started the day with a 500 mg Vicodin. Since then, I’ve been working, with the use of my computer, paying office bills, and talking with clients on the telephone, all from my bed. I had to get some information from my home office, and pulled myself out of bed, with the assistance of my crutches, and hobbled into my office. Remember, you absolutely can’t put any weight on the injured leg!
Sitting in my office chair was difficult, and I could only do it for about 15 minutes.
It’s now eleven o’clock and I’m back in bed, with a cold ice pack I retrieved from the frig. Yesterday, I increased my pain when I attempted to put some shorts on. It took me 15 minutes, and when I was finished, sweat was dripping from my forehead like I had just worked out for thirty minutes. I hope I didn’t do any harm. So, be very careful!
The only thing I can say about this experience is that I don’t ever what to be in this situation again. It would appear that this rare injury haunts individuals who have an active lifestyle. To get through it, you need to say calm, and act deliberate in every problem that arises. You’ll think about all the things you’re missing out on, but reflect on activities you’ll do after the brace comes off. That’s what I’m doing. I had tickets to the White Sox Boston game this weekend in Chicago. I’m bummed, but I’m trying to look at all the positives in a bad situation.
I wish you all the best, and hope that your surgery is a success!