How to Heal an Avulsion of a Tendon

An avulsion of the tendon is a serious and rare injury in which the tendon is completely separated from the bone. This injury is most often experienced by athletes and those who are frequently active. Healing a tendon avulsion requires surgery to reattach the tendon to the bone. Only through surgery can an individual regain full strength and range of motion.

Things You'll Need

• Physician
• Surgeon
• Physical therapist

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Instructions

• 1

  Contact your physician. If you think that you have seriously injured a tendon, immediately contact your physician to have it examined. Your physician can diagnose the severity of the injury and advise treatment.

• 2

  Make an incision. If you have experienced an avulsion, your surgeon will make a skilled incision over the spot where the tendon will need to be reattached. During the procedure, you will be put under anesthesia.

• 3

  Locate the tendon. Your surgeon will use a forceps and enter the body through the incision. Using the forceps, your surgeon will pull the injured hamstring back into its proper position.

• 4

  Remove scar tissue. Your surgeon will clean and remove any scar tissue at the site of the injury. Scar tissue is removed so that the tendon can be cleanly reattached to the bone.

• 5

  Attach the tendon to the bone. Your surgeon may do this in a variety of ways, but most commonly the tendon is sutured or stapled.

• 6

  Close the incision. After the tendon has been reattached to the bone, the surgeon cleans the area, stitches the incision closed and applies a bandage.

• 7

  Begin rehabilitation. Recovering from a complete avulsion of the tendon is a slow process. To regain full motion and strength, you must consistently perform rehabilitation exercises and patiently wait for the tendon to heal. A physical therapist can successfully guide you through the recovery process.