Hamstring agony after injury 3 weeks post op ACL recon.

2 days ago i was removing a very tight shoe from my operated leg, this leg is 3 weeks post op from an ACL reconstruction using the hamstring graft. I had my hand underneath the knee as i was pulling and tugging the shoe off, i gave one hard pull and felt a horrific snapping sensation at the back of my knee, like an elastic band snapping, pop! I immediatly stopped pulling in shock, the pain wasnt horrendous until i attempted to pull the shoe off again.

I got the shoe off with scissors, then stood up. I could no longer flex my knee backward, just like the sensation a few days post op. The back of the became swollen and hot, my immediate feeling is i've torn a hamstring tendon, is this possible after an ACL reconstruction in which they use two of the hamstring tendon to make the new ligament?

considering i have done this 3 weeks post op, could the tendons have healed and now i'm snapped or ruptured one of them?

the surgeons understudy, who i saw yesterday, laughed it off and did not understand fully what i had done, he feels the new acl is fine and i personally feel it is okay but what about my hamstring tendons!?

i am back on the crutches because i cant walk without support as i'm having to now walk with a completly straight knee as i can bend it!

Please, help me, i my last acl failed and this is the 2nd time round at fixing it. Does anyone possibly know what i've done to my hamstring? will it heal? do torn hamstring tendons need surgery? was that snapping sensation my hamstring tendon?!
Thankyou x

I had my 4th ACLR about 10 weeks ago. I used my hamstrings for my first recon on my left leg about 5 years ago. Unfortunately since then I have had 3 more recons. I never had any hamstring problems but it sounds like you may have ruptured or severely stretched yours. You shouldn't do any hamstring exercises for about 6 weeks after the surgery because they are weak and vulnerable to tearing and stretching. The other possibility is that your surgeon did not harvest the hamstrings properly which has lead to subsequent injury. Although hamstring harvest is done frequently for ACL reconstruction, many docs do not do it properly. Often times the docs cut through the wrong tendon. If I told my surgeon that I heard a popping sound like that and had extreme pain he would have me in for an MRI right away.

Good luck

hi there i was just wondering how you got on and if you could let me no what it was that you did to your knee and how your recovery process went after this pain?
i am three weeks into my recovery after having my acl done and i was doing my stretches and felt an uncomfortable popping feeling in my knee, and then very similar symptoms to you described with swelling and burning at the back of my knee and im now really worried that i'll have hindered my recovery.
id be greatful for any information thanks

It really does sound like your hamstring may have torn... You should get it scanned. Let us know how you got on.

I did the same thing a couple of weeks post ACL reconstruction (using hamstring tendon). I tried to remove my shoes using my feet when I heard a pop and immediate pain in my posterior mid thigh area. I knew straight away that it was torn and it did hinder my recovery as hamstring's are weakened by the surgery.

I used the PRICE technique (prevention, rest, ice, compression and elevation) straight away.

I started physio at 10 days post op, so you should see a physio asap so they can help manage your current injury and rehabilitate your new ACL. Hopefully this will aid the success of your op.