recovery of gracilis after hamstring aclr?!

[Hill_Girl]

I've got an advanced ACL rehab question!

I had hamstring graft ACLR March 2017. The semi-tendinosis and gracilis were used. I've seen progressive progress in flexibility of that leg in all the different ways you want to - other than in what I am pretty sure is the gracilis area.

It doesn't seem to affect day-to-day things but when it comes to stretching and yoga in particular (eg the upavistha konasana posture - seated on ground with legs apart and lean forward) it feels so tight and sore as if it could snap if I'm not careful. Anatomical diagrams show how the gracilis connects right up in the groin and I feel the stiffness in the upper part of my inner thigh right up to here.

My general hamstring flexibility in the standard stretches is fine.

Has anyone else experienced this/is this normal/as good as it gets? I've worked away at this over the past year but it's one area I'm not seeing progress. It's fine if I have to live with it but it would be interesting to hear from others. Would it have any bearing on gait/biomechanics?

Yes, I realise this is an obscure question but I can't find anything about this on the internet, only about regeneration of the hamstrings.

Thanks!

[BornToRun]

Hi Hill Girl, unfortunately I don't have an answer to this, but I'd also love to know if anyone does. I'm only 15 weeks post ACLr also with gracilis and semitendinosis and honestly, the hamstrings have caused me the most bother in the recovery so far. I know it's very early days, but sometimes it feels like they'll never get better. They are tight and grumpy and taking their sweet time to improve, despite no end of my physio's massages and targeted exercises.
And at this early stage at least yes, they definitely have a bearing on my gait. I can feel them landing my foot and flexing it up and they cause me to land slightly awkwardly. I can also feel them during quad sets. I find it so annoying that I'm pushing almost 4 months and my gait is still not quite right, and that walking is still uncomfortable. The physio says it will sort itself out once my muscles have built up more, and to be patient. Easier said than done!

[Hill_Girl]

Hi there Born to Run

15 weeks is still early days for recovery from this surgery, hang in there! It is both frustrating and a bit scary but just keep working away - no heroics but regular, steady, progressive effort and celebrate each little milestone/look back on how far you have come.

I didn't progress quickly to start (had a bad haematoma in my calf and couldn't weight bear for about 6 weeks) and it took time to rebuild all the muscles and get a good gait walking but I'm very happy with things now. Recovery of the hamstrings in the longer term has been great other than this specific bit of flexbility and in other hamstring stretches I'm fine. I feel really strong there now (16 months on) and have only noticed real fatigue in them once - at the end of two long days of backpacking in rough terrain, so hardly surprising! Good luck, I'm sure you'll get there as it sounds like you are putting the work in and have physio support. All the best.

[BornToRun]

Thank you so much for the encouraging words Hill Girl! It's so helpful to hear from someone who's been there, come through the other side, and knows how it feels. Sounds like you're doing very well indeed, big congratulations!

You're right, it's all about patience and hard work rebuilding the muscle. I'm very lucky to have a great physio, a very supportive husband and I'm doing all my exercises religiously. Fingers crossed all will be well in the end!