Hi Arniar and Utahacl,


I'm experiencing many of the symptoms you both described. I had ACL reconstruction with hamstring graft in November 2009. I was faithful in physio, did everything I was instructed to do and bounced back more quickly than most people in every way except hamstrings. Therapist didn't get it (or wouldn't listen) as I tried explaining ... pretty much everything you explained with limits, spasms, etc., So the result is (9 months later)...I have an abnormally weak hamstirng despite all the exercise I've been doing. The curls always sent the muscle into spasm...i felt like I didn't know my strength potential because these severe spasms prevented me from doing enough reps (even very light weight). Also, I can't curl as high as the other leg... it's as if something's missing - now i understand it's too short. I'm stretching the hams and calves so often (always feels necessary) that it's like they're overstretched...or like what should be stretching isn't there...thus too easy. Maybe that sounds too weird and it's my isolated case in terms of stretching.
Anyway, today my surgeon suggested "the tendon didn't grow back" and said he had never seen this before. He said I might just have to live with this condition, no further physio or surgery could help. I pushed - desperate to hear that there might be hope for improvement (I really miss my sports, and my knee pain is getting worse) and he said he would talk to some colleagues for other opinions / experiences. He did say that weak hamstring will cause knee pain.

I think I should ask for an Wikipedia reference-linkMRI ??

Thanks, and I hope you're both doing better these days.
Dawn.