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Surgery better for patients with hamstring injuries vs non-surgical treatment
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Patients treated surgically for acute proximal hamstring ruptures had better lower extremity function outcomes, as well as a higher chance of returning to pre-injury activities, compared with patients who were treated non-surgically, according to the findings from a study presented here.
Suzanne Laura Miller, MD, and colleagues retrospectively evaluated 25 patients with proximal hamstring ruptures in a case-control study between 2007 and 2013. Fourteen patients were treated surgically, and 11 were treated non-surgically for their injuries. The lower extremity functional score (LEFS) was used to measure primary outcomes. Additionally, the researchers assessed patients using the SF-12 physical and mental component scores, the single-leg hop test, patients’ own strength perception and the patients’ ability to return to activity.
“Our results showed no significant difference for the SF-12 physical and mental scores, perceived strength, there was a trend toward a better LEFS in the operative group,” Miller said during her presentation at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting. “Compared to the contralateral extremity, there was no significant difference in single-leg hop compared to the uninjured leg; however, when comparing between the two groups, there was a significant difference in the single-leg hop.”
The average single-leg hop score for the surgical group was 119.1 cm compared with 56.1 cm for the non-surgical group. Compared with the uninjured leg, the average single-leg hop score in the injured leg was 5.1 cm shorter in surgical group and 1.2 cm shorter in non-surgical group, according to the researchers. Age and average single-leg hop had weak associations with LEFS in both groups.
The researchers also found the surgical and non-surgical groups had similar strength perception. All patients in the surgical group returned to pre-injury activities, whereas three patients in the non-surgical group were not able to return to activities.
“One hundred percent of patients in the surgical group were able to return to preinjury activity level, [and] 72% of patients in the non-operative group were able to return to preinjury activity level,” Miller said. “There was one complication in the operative group that required reoperation for [evacuation of hematoma].” – by Monica Jaramillo
Reference:
Olsen J, et al. Paper #62. Presented at: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting; July 7-12, 2015; Orlando, Fla.
Disclosures: Miller reports she is a paid consultant for Stryker and has stock in Parcus. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.