Editorial Commentary: Proximal Hamstring Syndrome: Another Pain in the Buttock

Proximal hamstring injuries cause buttock pain and may result in significant weakness and sciatic neuralgia. Avulsion ruptures involving 2 or more tendons with >2-cm retraction may benefit from early open surgical repair. More chronic equivalents may benefit from Achilles allograft reconstruction. Chronic proximal hamstring syndrome causing posterior thigh and sit pain may occur from less severe, often repetitive injury to the proximal hamstring origin with secondary sciatic neuralgia from local adhesions or scar entrapment. Recalcitrant cases may benefit from surgical intervention, but the most effective procedure (tenotomy, resection of degenerative tissue with tenotomy vs repair, sciatic neurolysis) has not been established. The role of endoscopic surgery of the proximal hamstring is evolving, but currently may best be indicated for ischial bursectomy, debridement of degenerative tendon tissue, and/or sciatic neurolysis. Although endoscopic proximal hamstring repair is feasible for treating tears with mild retraction, the role of endoscopic (or open) surgery in repair of acute complete tears with <2-cm retraction or less severe injuries (partial tears or complete tears without retraction) is controversial because most of these injuries may respond to nonoperative management. In this setting, perhaps surgical treatment (open or endoscopic) should be reserved for patients who have failed nonsurgical management.