Hamstring Avulsion (complete tear from pelvis)

[ima164]

Thanks so much Tammy, I just checked my temp and i am still running around 100.5 or so. i know they said not to worry unless over 101, but now i have lost my voice something like larangytis?? this just came on today 5 days post surgery and i can still talk a little but its so weird this hoarsness came in over an hour or so ?? i wonder if any side effect from coumadin i am taking?? i dont think so butwill look up. I go for first post -op this wednesday and that will be 8 days out do you think they will take out stiches?? actually i dont even know if i have them staples or what?? i was so out of it and my husband did not ask. could you weight bear at all the first 6 weeks?? thanks for the input !

Terri

Hey there Terri,

Just wondering how your post op visit went. I was told to contact my surgeon with any temp over 100.5, so I was wondering if maybe you did have a slight infection? Hoping either it's resolved for you on its own, or your doc put you on some antibiotics. In any case, I'm hoping that you're feeling a bit better now.

As you can see from my prior posts, I am 4 weeks posts op this week and still have at least 3 weeks to go with the brace. I had stiches (external) and then steri-strips. I couldn't shower for 2 weeks post-op. My hip (and thigh) brace has been locked at 0 degrees (no bend) for all these weeks and will be until july 2nd! As you can see, my surgeon is very conservative and this varies widely among surgeons who perform this surgery. Bottom line is that you need to trust your surgeon and use this site to get tips and strategies for coping. You also need to have some kind of support system and accept offers of help. It can be a long and frustrating road, but this site helps give you hope and great ideas.

Lots of luck and all the best to you and to everyone of us in this "club"!
Laura

[terrirobo]

Hi Laura,
I am much better now. I was running a low grade temp for about a week post op.they said it was normal as long as it did not go over 101 and stay over that. They gave me antibiotics by IV x3 times when i was in hospital, i was in for 2 days.. I also feel great now, no pain meds since i came home from hospital,they made me to sick, and honestly only one night that ineeded an extra strenghth tylenol,other than that no real pain or discomfort that was not tolerable.I had no stiches or staples at allI am so lucky!! They used a skin glue and it has worked like a charm,sponge baths for 1 month with and i can not take brace off at all for the month so no baths anyways. but i am doing great. i have visiting nurses twice a week, pt twice a week and i am on coumadin for precotions for 1 month post-op to prevent blood clots. they are also very conservative at the New england baptist hospital. My dr. Susanne Miller is fantastic!! she has done this type of surgery many many times and is the expertise in this area and for the Boston area,she is wonderful and i feel very lucky to have found her! I am out of the brace on July 3rd, she keeps it on for 4 weeks, but i dont know if i start walking after that?? I have partial weight bare on my bad leg after the 1st check up and again it feels great, they had no problem getting the hamstring back up to the bone and maybe thats why things are so good. I will keep in touch and let you know, tomorrow is 2 weeks post-op and i am on the countdown for july 3rd when this brace is off!! keep in touch i hope you have good progress too!!
Terri

[cmg8878]

I am a new member and not very good with computers! I might be posting this twice! I had a complete avulsion of the hamstring 2 years ago. I was, unfortunately, misdiagnosed and was told nothing could be done. A few weeks ago I further injured my leg. A new MRI was done and the specialist said that the old injury had caused so much scar tissue and had so little elasticity that there was nothing to be done. I am undergoing rehab for the new injury with little success. I would love to know if there is any hope of a replacement or artificial transplant? Does anyone have advice? Thank you!

I was getting up on a slalom ski, as I have done for years, but was favoring my aching shoulder and ended up tearing my hamstring. I had an MRI and have a complete tear, with a 9 cm avulsion. I am now 3 weeks later walking fine, feeling no real pain with general activites. My ortho sent me to PT this week and we are deciding on surgery in 2 days. This is my sec doc, first one said surgery for sure. But he is surprised at how strong my hamstring still is performing given the situation. I just don’t know what to do. Has anyone NOT had surgery and now regretted it? Or had it and glad they did? I really don't want to have it. But, I'm fit and 33, and fear cronic pain down the road. THANKS for any info!

[cmg8878]

Do you have any advice years later? I am in the exact situation.

[goal tender]

If you look at post #2468, there is a great research article referenced there that can give you an idea on outcomes. It pretty much mirrors other articles that I have read.

I think it is better to have the surgery sooner than later. Particularly at your age and the amount of your retraction. Many people feel that they are walking normal with little to no pain 5-10 days after the injury. Myself included. I could even run in a straight line on a flat surface. My strength tested normal 10 minutes after the injury but gradually decreased as time went by even though I was going to PT.

I made my decision to have surgery based on what I could not do after the injury. While I could run on a flat surface, I couldn't run uphill or on uneven ground. I could not recover if I got bumped off of my direction. I also could not quickly start or stop or change direction. Needless to say, I couldn't play tennis, pickleball, or field hockey. I also found hitting infield for my softball team was uncomfortable.

I can't give an answer as to whether I can do all of those things now but that is because I am just a little over twelve weeks post surgery and will finally be allowed to start strengthening work at PT. I have been walking without crutches since the 7 week mark.

My surgeon did have concerns about how complicated my surgery was going to be based on the amount of time that had gone by before I saw him. There was significant scar tissue that had to be cleared from my tendon and around my sciatic nerve. He was also concerned about whether they would be able to stretch the muscles back to the attachment site.

If you go back to the beginning of this thread and look at post #6, #8, and #12, I think it gives a good perspective of the time for recovery. There is a post somewhere in the first ten pages, I think, for someone who did not have surgery. They were happy with their results but there was no long term follow up.

Good luck with your decision.

Tammy

[cmg8878]

I am going on day 3 of PT, my 2nd opinion doc said to test it out for a week of PT before we make the decision Friday. I am a little sore, but I still walking fine and stuff. It does start to ache after sitting at my desk though. I have only one tendon torn off completely. I just don't want the chronic pain, or fear of more injury forever. I guess I am just intimidated by the recovery time/process after reading all these posts. I have a great family, but I do live alone with a dog. So I am just thinking about how long the recovery will be. Thanks so much for your input though!! I will take any additional info I can get my hands on since I will be deciding this week.

[terrirobo]

Good luck on your whatever you decide! I tore my hamstring in february and had surgery in June i am 2 weeks post -op and i also was not going to have surgery, but i am only 46 and because there is so few research on what happens to people that dont do surgey, and my uncle who had the same injury 20 years ago and now has problems i decide to have it. i have three kids and a 9month old puppy. you will definitly need help the first month, but after that you should be ok. i actually even was good to be on my own the first week and needed no pain meds at home at all. my complete tear was retracted alot i forget now but they had to get it behind my knee and bring it back up and tie it to a screw that they drilled into my bone. I feel great now no staples or stiches and they only used skin glue ,its amazing, but do go to someone who knows what they are doing and make sure you go to a hosptial that specializes in orthopedics because its the after care that really matters and the more conservative the better the healing . anywhere from 4-6 weeks with crutches and only parial to no weight bearing, also no PT for at least 8 weeks to let it heal. I picked my surgeon by her expertise in this field and how many she had already done, she also used a hand specialist to detach the scar tissue from the sciatic nerve ,that is very important!! Good Luck!!
terri

[goal tender]

Since it is a single tendon rupture, that is a tough call. Most literature that I have read has either not addressed single ruptures or seemed to favor no repair for single tendon ruptures although I have seen more recent studies where single tendon repairs have been done. Don't ask me to quote the source.

Definitely more than one opinion is a good idea and carefully weighing the potential pros and cons.

From my perspective, the recovery from surgery was not that bad. I had help for about a week and a half and then I was pretty much on my own with someone checking in about every third day for the next week and then once or twice a week for the next few of weeks after that to help with grocery shopping etc. since it was my right leg and I was not allowed to drive for six weeks after my surgery. I have three little dogs who have been absolute angels through all of this although I do think they are looking forward to getting back to our long walks.

Tammy

[cmg8878]

Ok, done with the final day of PT, tomorrow is the decision day. My therapist shook her head and was amazed at my strength and said it really is a catch-22 with me. I only had a “pulling sensation” in two of the exercises, but no pain. I have been on the bike, elliptical and stair master (for only 10-15min) the past two days. I guess the only time I really feel anything is when I have been sitting at my desk at work. I sure hope my surgeon just tells me what to do, bc I am so torn at this point. If my avulsion wasn’t 9 cm, I wouldn’t even think twice about passing on surgery. My semimembranosus tendon is the one torn off and the other two have tears but are attached. It is really a bummer there isn’t more research on people who just let one tendon scar years later. I sure hope not to be blogging after tomorrow but if I am this website will be a lifesaver.
Thanks again for all your input!!

[cmg8878]

Good luck on your whatever you decide! I tore my hamstring in february and had surgery in June i am 2 weeks post -op and i also was not going to have surgery, but i am only 46 and because there is so few research on what happens to people that dont do surgey, and my uncle who had the same injury 20 years ago and now has problems i decide to have it. i have three kids and a 9month old puppy. you will definitly need help the first month, but after that you should be ok. i actually even was good to be on my own the first week and needed no pain meds at home at all. my complete tear was retracted alot i forget now but they had to get it behind my knee and bring it back up and tie it to a screw that they drilled into my bone. I feel great now no staples or stiches and they only used skin glue ,its amazing, but do go to someone who knows what they are doing and make sure you go to a hosptial that specializes in orthopedics because its the after care that really matters and the more conservative the better the healing . anywhere from 4-6 weeks with crutches and only parial to no weight bearing, also no PT for at least 8 weeks to let it heal. I picked my surgeon by her expertise in this field and how many she had already done, she also used a hand specialist to detach the scar tissue from the sciatic nerve ,that is very important!! Good Luck!!
terri

Did your uncle have all three tendons torn? Thanks!