Hamstring Avulsion (complete tear from pelvis)

[I Fell]

Hello to all the new people. Sorry that you have to join the group but now that your injured, it's the best group to be in. There is a lot of good information and good people here to help you deal with issues about what to expect after surgery.

Dave,

I have not seen anything about bone marrow injections. How quickly does it work??? What are you permitted to do while waiting for the new growth??? What about rehab??? My own concern with a 5cm retraction is that the hamstring may attach to the sciatic nerve before the bone is regrown. That seems to happen pretty quickly. It seems to me that the muscle could further slip while waiting for it to reattach. The surgery is no big deal and results have been really good for most here.

mxrider,

Good luck with the surgery. After 5 weeks you really start to make rapid progress and once off the crutches there is a lot you can do. I would stay off the bike for a bit. Slow and steady seems to work best. I ride some Mt. bike and have no problems.

waynej,

I had the heavy bruising but others with complete avulsions have not. In too weeks I had just a little pain and was getting along pretty good. I did not have any problems in the knee and calf area although the bruising extended to the top on the calf. I would push for a MRI to see if you have a complete avulsion. If you do the sooner you have the surgery the better.

Heal well.

[Jay M]

Wow, seems like there has been a lot of activity since the last time that I logged on.

Dave,
I, too have not heard of bone marrow injections. I don't see how this would help the hamstring re-attach itself. However, if it was used in conjunction with surgery it would make more sense to me.

Mxrider,
Good luck with the surgery. Take this time to get everything you will need for making life managable after surgery. For example, plenty of baby wipes, raised toilet seat, sock aid, back scratcher and a good recliner. Others can give you more insight as what else might be helpful.

Waynej,
Push for an MRI ASAP. Thats the only way you can tell specifically what's going on. You may need to be a real PIA if they are resistant to ordering one. Time is important for surgical repair if there is an avulsion. This injury is often mis-diagnosed because MD's won't order the correct testing.

Happy New Year and continue to heal well,

Jay

[waynej]

Thanks "I Fell" and "Jay M" for the advice,a MRI is what i will be requesting on my next scheduled doctor's visit

[ventued]

PLEASE, PLEASE listen to I Fell and Jay - get that MRI. If you have any questions about that, look back starting on page 13 where I describe a misdiagnosis that I had. After two years I went to a real doctor who correctly diagnosed it and I had it repaired. By then, it pulled in my sciatic nerve and using the leg without the muscle has lengthened the recovery significantly. I had my surgery over a year ago (12/15) and am still working my way back. If there's anything I can do as a result of my trials and tribulations, it's encourage everyone who reads this to push the docs and get the MRIs (and scr*w the insurance companies who make you jump thru hoops to get them!!!).

[merrybaker]

Had surgery 2 days ago, going much better than I thought it would. Doc said I had a tangled mess of nerves, tendon, scar tissue and muscle. Retrieved my tendon, but it wasn't long enough so he used a cadaver tendon which he attached to mine. Also took the scar tissue off the nerves. The amazing thing- I have no brace, and can bear weight on the leg. I can semi sit, but cannot do any active flexion of the hip or knee. Going to the bathroom is tough, I bought a urinal so I can stand and pee. Got a raised toilet seat, which helps a little.

Pain is not too bad. I had a morphine pca the day of surgery, went home on xtra strength percocet. I usually get very sick from pain meds, they gave me a scopalomine patch which has helped tremendously. Pain is actually less than when I first had the injury last year. The most amazing thing is the ankle pain I have had since last March is now gone! If it stays like that, all this will be worth it. My hamstring muscle has atrophied, he is not sure if it will ever come back, but the surgery will stabilize me leg, which is what I wanted. My family is being great waiting on me, I have a tendency to do too much, and I remember from reading this everyone says to take it easy and not over do it.

[I Fell]

merrybaker,

Glad you are doing well. It's a plus to not have much pain and no brace. Just be careful not to overdo it without a brace to protect you from yourself. Everything should get easier as time goes on.

Happy New Year to All

Heal well

[Dayna]

Hi, all.

My surgery was October 12, 2009, so I am now 12 weeks out. I have returned to work this week where I spend my day sitting -- a lot and for extended periods of time. I'm finding that sitting is a real issue. I work in a formal setting where I am unable to adjust my position for comfort. My job requires intense concentration, so being relatively comfortable is important. I have tried sitting with a pillow under my affected side, under my unaffected side, leaning foward, backward, shifting my weight side to side, and I just cannot get comfortable. Because I am trying to compensate for the soreness on my surgical site I am concerned about having problems with my back and my unaffected leg. The incision site is still tender if I sit on it on the edge of a chair, but that's tolerable. The reattachment site, though, is swollen and tender and my physical therapist has told me that that may take up to a year to resolve. I'm wondering if anyone has found something that's not too rigid or hard to sit on that may relieve the soreness that starts after about 20 minutes of sitting.

Thanks for your help.

Dayna

[janemarie]

Dear Dayna

I had my surgery on the 31st of august and I am just able to sit without any issues..I still have some numbness. I am not sure there is any magic position that will relieve this. The incision just needs to heal and become less tender...I know my therapist told me to massage it frequently so adhesions do not form and that the scar is nice and flat when it finally healed..Just try some advil to try to relieve the tenderness and swelling. check with md first to make sure you can take it.. good luck

janemare

[BallCoach]

Hi Everyone!

Just checking in! It has been almost 4 weeks since surgery and last night I was able to get back on the sidelines and coached my first game last night! Overall I felt pretty good just a little sore and tired. I'm scheduled to see the Dr. on the 18th, hopefully to get rid of the brace/crutches.

I was wondering if most of you all had Physical Therapy following surgery and how often and how long you had it? I'm anxious to get moving again!

Thanks for all of your input and encouragement- you have really helped me through this whole ordeal!

BallCoach

[I Fell]

Hi BallCoach,

Gklad you to hear you are doing well.

I started therapy two weeks after surgery, two days a week with the brace on. Then 2 days a week with the brace removed for therapy. Then things really picked up at week 6. Lost the brace and crutches and then started therapy 3 days a week. I had about 21 therapy session and then was given a program to continue with on my own.

Be ready to see a size difference between the two legs due to atrophy from being in the brace. It takes awhile for the size to come back but at the end of 21 therapy sessions I was doing 20 minutes on the treadmill and 20 minutes on the bike. Probablly could have done more. Follow directions and don't overdue it. You will be back to good as new before you know it.

Heal well.