Hamstring Surgery - Cerebral Palsy Message Board

Steffers2318 · 06-06-2005, 01:11 PM

I think I asked this before, but to anyone who has had hamstring lengthening surgery--what's it like? Is the pain really bad? I know one thing everyone seems to say is it makes you really weak...

I am having the surgery on Friday, along with hip flexor lengthening...the bad thing is, I was supposed to have it a month ago, so that I would have more time to go to therapy and get stronger before school starts. Now I will only have about 5 1/2 weeks before school, and I will have to go to therapy during school too. Oh well, I guess I'll just hafta work really hard!

Anyway, any stories (good and bad) or advice would be appreciated...and if you believe in that sorta thing, I wouldn't mind getting some prayers too

(I am afraid of going under anesthesia, even though I've done it before...I'm such a wimp, LOL)

bsjones · 06-06-2005, 03:46 PM

I will pray for you Steffers and affirm that you will have a successful surgery that will benefit your life in many ways in the years to come.

NJenn · 06-06-2005, 05:10 PM

Steffers, good luck! I'll be thinking about you! I'm really afraid of general anesthesia, too. When I had my botox injections in my psoas a few months ago, they gave me a general. I was shaking on the table when they put me out (I was sooooo scared), but all was well. Ask to be given a drug called Versed in your IV before you go into the OR-- you won't remember a thing. Ask for anti-nausea drugs, too. You'll feel so much better when you wake up.

How old are you, Steffers? I had my hamstrings done when I was 8-- that was almost 20 years ago! I think it's much less invasive now. I was in full leg casts for a few months. I don't remember the pain at the hamstrings, but I was pretty young. What I do remember was really intense rebound spasticity in my quads. That was rough, but I pulled through ok. Valium's good for that. That hamstring surgery is what finally got me walking independently around the house-- so, even with the weakenss, it's worth it. One thing you might have to think about down the road, (if you don't already have them) is AFOs. The hamstring release can cause genu recurvatum (knee hyperextension). Walking on unstable knees can really get you in trouble in the long term. My docs didn't put me in AFOs as a kid (even after the surgery); my mom and I are still wondering why to this day.

I'm really interested to hear how your psoas lengthening goes--I don't know anyone who's had it. My back trouble is caused by tight psoas, and botox didn't do a darn thing!

Take care, I'll be thinking about you!

Nicki

JellyRJFan · 06-06-2005, 06:49 PM

Steffers,

I had hamstring lengthening 6 years ago on the 22nd (I can't believe it's been that long!). It was a REALLY easy surgery. The hardest part was the general anesthesia, because it makes me so sick. (but I have a phobia of that kind of thing, so I'm probably being overly dramatic) I was in the hospital for a week instead of just overnight. It barely hurt at all though, only when I would fall out of my chair or something. I was in cylinder casts from hips to ankles for about 6 weeks. They slid down and cut my ankles pretty bad, that was the only rough part.

Like Nicki said it can cause recurvatum, which I had pretty badly after the surgery, and still have to this day, although not as extreme. I had a gait analysis done just a while ago to see if there was anything they could do for my increasing pain/decreasing stamina, and oddly enough the doc didn't mention AFOs, although when I read the report they were suggested. He basically told me to take yoga... I was bummed.

Anyways, it's an easy surgery, so don't worry! Good luck!

Steffers2318 · 06-06-2005, 08:02 PM

Thanks a lot to everyone who responded... you guys made me feel a little better, at least

NJenn, thanks for the drug advice....anesthesia makes me very nauseous. I am 19... the doctor told me that they usually do hamstring releases at a younger age but one good thing about doing it at my age will be that I can work a lot harder in therapy and (hopefully) recover faster. Is psoas the technical name for hip flexors? LOL if it is I will let you know if it is helpful. I forgot, he also said he may do my adductors (or is it abductors?) but wants to wait till he sees sees me under anesthesia to decide. (Joy, more pain

)