Broken vertebrae

[akstaj]

I got bucked off my new fancy horse and broke the transverse (sp) process of L1 through L3 and fractured L4 and L5. I was pretty drugged the first week and was told to do nothing. I am now progressing into week three post injury and going nuts. I know I can't ride, but I want to, I can walk and drive short distances as long as I am not taking meds. Has anyone had a similiar injury and what can I expect. The doctor hasn't given me any indication of what to expect, I don't go back for another appointment until the first week of December and have not been able to find any information on the internet.

[Invite]

I have no clue, but Whicker might be able to help out. She's broken some vertebrae. I wish I could offer some help, but I have no knowledge in this area. Best of luck!

[KateandKc]

No ideas, but I hope you're feeling better soon.

I'm right there with you on going crazy from not being able to do anything.

[whicker]

Hi Akstaj,

You are fortunate that someone figured out how badly you were hurt. Drugs, MMMmm!

My drs didn't think I was hurt enough to even do x-rays. It wasn't diagnosed for 6 months, so some of my vertebrae are in novel positions.:winkgrin:

Are you in a body cast? Can you move about? If your vertbrae stayed in the original locations, and your discs didn't smush much and your spinal cord is ok, you should be able to do quite a lot of riding once you heal without major pain.

But, you do have to give yourself time to heal, which is mentally extremely frustrating, boring and a major annoyance. How polite can I be about it?! I hated being stuck on the bed on a good riding day.

I could think I was FINE, then try to get up and walk to the barn, and fall or stumble and have no balance. I couldn't lift any thing that weighed more than a pound, to start.

There are things you can do now, if your physical therapist agrees. you can start doing core exercises with a pressure cuff to teach your nerves and muscles the right responses again. These are tiny exercises that are almost a mental isometric move. you learn to isolate and turn on different muscle groups. I learned that when a part of the body gets hurt, the nerves will shut down until they get stimulated to turn on again. That's why you can see sometimes atrophy. Another way my PT showed me the response was with a little electrode patch that picked up the muscle effort and showed it on a small gieger counter that beeped and flashed different color lights. You can do the exercises many times a day, since you are just priming the nerves and there is no weight involved.

If you feel up to reading, "Thinking Body, Dancing Mind", is the sports pyschology book that has been my bible for coming back. There are sections on dealing with injury and recovery that I used so often that I kept it by my bed.

You are welcome to pm me if you would like more thoughts and tlc. I was told to stay off the horses for about 6 months, but there were specific moves that I had to accomplish in order to be able to mount and ride. I had goals to achieve instead of an arbitrary date that someone else set. That goal setting was key for me to take control and use the time in a productive way. It also helped me be less angry at my situation and nasty in lashing out at those around me. (Can't afford to alienate anyone when they are critical for survival..)

The most cheerfully useful thing was that I was told that I should not be the one to do the chores that I hated anyway; sweeping, mopping, washing dishes and putting them in the dishwasher,(I broke some before my family caught on), laundry and cleaning the bathrooms. I also couldn't deal with water pails or mucking, driving the tractor and mowing the lawn and fields. Therefore, more time to ride...:winkgrin:

[goponies]

Something I can answer!
6 years ago I was bucked off a horse and broke the lateral processes on L1 to L5. I also broke 3 ribs and punctured a lung.
I was in hospital for 2 weeks, mostly because of the lung thing. I had a corset type cast that I used only for walking around. When I first got injured I was told to do nothing other than walk for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks I started PT, which lasted for 9 months. I had some major tightness in my lower back, and had to completely rebuild my core muscles. Injury occured in mid-August, I rode at a walk early Jan.
Now 6 years later, I have sometimes tightness in my lower back, and have developped some arthritis in my hips, because my gait has changed somewhat. I ride but my riding has definitely suffered, I have less strength on my left side. It took a long time before I could canter properly.
I ride still but don't enjoy it as much as I did before the accident. I drive now for the most part. I still like to go for a nice quiet trail ride and the occasionnal dressage/ring schooling to get some different work done.

Take your time, don't rush, you'll heal that much better. Hope my story didn't discourage you too much. I cried a lot, feeling sorry for myself, but my outlook is much brighter now. I can still "do" dressage, albeit from behind the horse and not on him.
Again: don't rush.

[akstaj]

Whicker,

Thank you so much, I feel much better. I think I was lucky because I called a friend who is chief of surgery at the hospital and asked what Dr was at the er, I ride with his daughter. I think he called and explained how serious the fall could be, which is why when the x ray didn't show anything he did the cat scan. The spine is fine. However, they do not think the bones will re-attach so not sure what the outcome will be.

I have a removable brace that I am to wear when I walk. They are calling the injury stable breaks.

I will get the book. I have a great support group, horsie and non-horses but it is still hard.

My wonderful boyfriend has been driving me to the barn to watch the trainer ride my new horse. That has help.

I think my biggest issue right now is the unknown, the doctor would not tell me anything. I go back the first week of December and really want to demand a plan.

I will be in touch Whicker. I have also realized how serious I am hurt, but also so very very very lucky.

Thank you, Angela

[pinkme]

I broke T 6, 7, 8 when a horse tripped and fell on me. T 7 was crushed, but did not harm my spinal cord. I was 14 and stir crazy. It was a horse I had been riding all summer and my parents had agreed to buy after soo much begging. I knew after basicly no activity, I would be so out of shape I wouldnt be able to ride when I was healed. As soon as possible, I started swimming in a heated pool. I thought I would walk laps, but it hurt, so I just swam any way that didnt hurt. Then I did deep water arobics. Then moved to to shallow water arobics. Just moving around and stretching my body felt so great. As long as I keep my core strong, I am pain free! Including riding! I did notice little things with my legs hurting, while riding, that never had hurt before. Good luck, its a long road. PM me if you would like.

[whicker]

Angela,
I am sending you a pm. It is about stem cell spine work. :)

[tabula rashah]

5 and 1/2 years ago, I got bucked off of my horse after landing a jump and hit the ground wrong- ended up I had burst fractures of T10 and T12. I spent 6 months in a plastic body cast going nuts because I wasn't supposed to be doing anything. before the accident I was riding several horses everyday and teaching lessons as well as being an avid hiker, backpacker and kayaker. IT SUCKED to have to sit. A month after I got the cast off I was back on a horse- no I wasn't supposed to be, but I did it anyway- but only on my steddy eddy mare until I was actually allowed to be back on.
Fast forward to now- I occassionally have issues with my back/ hips because of the accident, but the majority of it I have controlled by exercise. Please feel free to PM me if you would like

[KPF]

Sorry to hear about your injury. I, too, am a member of the broken back club. I came off a horse Sept '07 and shattered my L1. Was very lucky, no spinal cord damage. Was in the hospital for 2 weeks (with a morphine pump and the whole nine yards), stuck at home for another month after that. Had to wear a back brace 24/7 for 2 months and when I was awake for another month. It sucked... I couldn't do anything. Had to move my horses back to a boarding barn because hubby couldn't take care of me, our dogs, the house and the horses by himself. I missed a whole month of work then had to go back part time for two more months... luckily the economy was better then and I have a good boss! :)

I moved the horses back home in April '08 and got back in the saddle in June '08. It was that long (9 mos.) before I felt remotely up to riding. I still have a lot of emotional baggage from my accident (I'm a total weenie now) but physically, I'm OK. I can't lift heavy things anymore and my neurosurgeon says I probably never will be able to lift what I once did. That's sort of a PIA, I have to have hubby move hay, etc. for me and I try not to lift feed bags because that is right at the edge of my comfort zone... I'll hurt for a few days afterwards.

I think it really depends on the type of fracture you have as far as recovery time. As I understood it, mine was pretty bad... sounds like maybe yours isn't quite that bad. I couldn't even *think* about riding for months. Honestly, I took the pain pills and slept as much as possible at first just to make time go by. I read a ton of books too, just to escape my crappy reality for a while! :lol:

Best of luck, take your time and don't rush things, OK? :winkgrin: Your horse will still be there when you get better, and if you have your trainer ride him in the meantime, he'll be even nicer.

[pony4me]

My trainer recently fractured T11. She was in the hospital for a few days, then a week or two of very limited activity. Four to six weeks of no riding. She had a corset type brace to wear, and lots of meds. She is now slowly getting back to riding, and trotted one little x yesterday.

[akstaj]

You guys have been great, I realize how lucky I am. I am sure I will be pming some you after the next dr appt in two weeks. My wonderful boyfriend took me to the back so I could watch the trainer ride the horse responsible for the accident. I will be honest I can't wait to ride him. He is so cool. Although, I will start riding my mare the I trust before I get on the big guy again.

Thanks, Angela

[Bluey]

As a ten year old, trying some gymnastic moves on a concrete floor and crashing, I broke one rib and T3 and T4.
I didn't "fess up", but barely walked around gingerly, hurting very bad and barely able to breathe for a few days, then caught a cold and coughing did me in.
The Dr x-rayed me to check the lungs and saw the broken rib and vertebrae.
I had to wear a stiff corset for several weeks, along with spending some time in bed.

Everything healed fine in time and I was back on the gymnastic team.

Don't think your outcome may be bad, because everyone's break is a case in itself.
I hope that you can heal on your own, without surgery to pin everything back in place, so be patient with going easy at first.:yes:

Moral of my story, don't catch a cold.:winkgrin:

[akstaj]

Went to the doc today, kinda what I expected, took xrays, nothing shifted, a little less than half there is what he said. Another 5 to 7 weeks of doing nothing. It could be worse.

[twofatponies]

DH just fractured processes on five vertabrae due to being dumped on his head off his mare 9 days ago. All stable fractures, no spinal column danger, and after a week of basically staying asleep in bed he has "recovered" amazingly and is pretty much off pain meds and doing all normal non-athletic activities (computer work, washing dishes, puttering around the house, etc.) But he is re-introducing walking slowly (about 100 yards 2x a day), and won't ride for another 6 weeks, probably, to let the bone and ligaments heal completely. The risk is you don't want to have to catch your balance in a sudden movement, or suddenly have to take a heavy weight against your arms (say horse pulls or spooks or stumbles), as that will re-tear any ligaments that were damaged, and possibly re-fracture half-healed bone.

I suggest arts and crafts projects, or starting a blog, as a way to be involved in something to keep you busy while you wait for your body to heal! Or do some really complicated holiday planning, such as hosting a party or making handmade cards or something. :D

[sketcher]

I had a horse flip over on and lans square on me when I was a teenager. Luckily I was riding bareback and didn't have the horn of a western saddle driven into my chest but unluckily I had a phenomenal seat and we were going uphill so when he came crashing back he really squished me. Geesh, just writing that makes me realize how lucky I am not to have been permanently crippled. I declined the ambulance ride, ignored the pain and seemed fine - except that over the years my body apparently has molded itself around that injury. I have chronic back pain centering right in the area where the injury occurred but it has affected my whole body because it changed the way I moved. I'm a bit twisted and much stronger one one side than the other. I couldn't ever be a dressage rider. I don't think that is all due to the back injury but that has certainly contributed. I didn't even know about the cracked vertebra until about 8 years ago when a chiro finally sent me for a x-ray and saw where the non-displaced break had healed. My back feels like I'm missing a vertebra in that spot and I always feel like I have a cramp there.

Moral of the story - do exactly what the doctor and PT says to do!! It's hard to be inactive but in the long run it isn't worth it to suffer later on.

[JSwan]

Went to the doc today, kinda what I expected, took xrays, nothing shifted, a little less than half there is what he said. Another 5 to 7 weeks of doing nothing. It could be worse.


Yeah - stall rest sucks.

I'm nursing yet another herniated disc. Broke my back a while ago, also had back surgery.

Stall rest sucks - and that is how I learned to do crochet. I admit some of my first projects looked a little odd - I blame the Vicoden. ;)

You'll be fine. It's winter, you're on stall rest, it's dark out, it's all just too awful.

But you'll be better soon, the days will get longer, and you'll be back in the saddle soon. Really.

Keep your chin up - and keep a ready supply of yarn and crochet hooks. :D

[whicker]

Hi Ladies,
I have been off line for 2 weeks.

My wonderful DH had a stem cell procedure to regenerate 2 discs. Things were going great, until he fell. One of the discs EXPLODED. The other one is ok. He has had 2 surgeries in one week, the 1st emergency one to clean up the debris field from the disc. There was a crater where the disc had been. The second is a fusion. He is in a super specialty hospital with a great spinal neuro-surgeon. He is lucky that we have the contacts to get him into surgery quickly as he could have been paralysed from the trauma to the nerves.

i am also lucky that we have a wonderful daughter who dropped everything and flew home to stay with him at the hospital and spell me to get the rest of the chaos under control.

I also have been dealing with an elderly arab that has been very sick and having seizures and bringing back some horses who were close to foundering. I don't have anyone who is competent enough to do that part of the care. I do have help with the mucking.

I am whining, so a few "Poor Baby"s and some hugs would help. Oh, I broke a tooth in half during the first surgery. Nothing like a little stress! But I am FINE! Arghhh!

[JSwan]

PM sent.

[farmgirl88]

I got bucked off my new fancy horse and broke the transverse (sp) process of L1 through L3 and fractured L4 and L5. I was pretty drugged the first week and was told to do nothing. I am now progressing into week three post injury and going nuts. I know I can't ride, but I want to, I can walk and drive short distances as long as I am not taking meds. Has anyone had a similiar injury and what can I expect. The doctor hasn't given me any indication of what to expect, I don't go back for another appointment until the first week of December and have not been able to find any information on the internet.

good friend of mine just had the same situation; fractured a bunch of them in her neck. Horse fell and landed on her. she wa sout for a few minutes until a family friend who came to visit discovered her laying in the yard with her TB looking over her.

She is OK, but also cant ride or drive long distances. shes going stir crazy

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

BIG JINGLES! ...but you knew that...

[horseowner40]

I was in a horseback riding injury, and broke my neck as well as t10, t11, t12, l2, l3, l4, and ribs and crushed tailbone, be very careful, which you know that already, allow quite a bit of time for healing, do not rush! Years after my injury i decided to have surgery which left me a walking paraplegic, so that is another thing, if you need surgery in the future, pleaseeeee think twice and maybe three times because you can't recover from a bad surgery, Jingles your way, hope you make a complete recovery.;)

[akstaj]

So I have had a bad couple of weeks, I am actually still having a lot of pain. I have also realized that my target date of being able to ride is going to be pushed back, which makes me sad. On the positive side I have decided to by myself a custom made saddle. Hopefully when it arrives I will be able to ride. My horse is doing very well with the trainer. I got to watch her ride him today and I cannot wait to get on him. I just need to vent and throw myself a little pity party.

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

That's okay. Sometimes things just suck.

[whicker]

How about about some malamute singing in chorus to cheer you up?

We are having a very special snow storm/blizzard. Could be the biggest snow storm on record for the month of December. We haven't had more than a couple of inches over the entire winter for at least 4 years, maybe more.

We don't really believe that it will actually snow in Virginia. The highway depatments don't budget for it, since we get ice storms and freezing rain instead. Everything comes to a grinding halt as no one knows how to drive in the stuff. Being all type A's, who are Very Important People and therefore the world revolves around them, they still drive way over the speed limit. Very quickly, we have multiple accidents and the highways are closed.

So we party in Virginia when it snows. Everyone is snowed in with their hoard of t.p. and we consider it an adventure and "bonding" time. One of my sons took off last night to his girlfriend's house, so he could get snowed in there, and take care of her and her family. He should make major points with her parents...

Our own family history notes that in the blizzard of 96, my boyfriend and his daughter came to be snowed in at my house and my 2 small sons. At the end of 10 days of enforced togetherness, we had had such a good time that no one of us wanted it to end. That is when we decided to become a family. We married on a Valentine's Day, with snow for good luck.:D

I have alaskan malamute sled dogs. They love snow and are happiest when covered in it. (They have air conditioning in the summer) Right now, Tabitha, all 135 lbs of her, is lying outside in a snow drift, with the snow fall covering her. All you can see are her eyes and a big malamute grin. She looks back into the house to check on us, but her attention is on the fields and the horses, making sure that all is well in her realm.

The horses have decided that they are going to stay in their stalls and turn-out sheds rather than the paddocks. I see them sticking a nose out and shaking their heads in disbelief. The mini is going to need a big horse to break trail for him. He is only 24" at the withers and we already have 16" of snow.

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

And proof:

[gallopinggram]

DG -Luv the picture of your dog! :winkgrin:

I am also "snowbound" and my lab does not like the snow! She goes out, does her business, and runs right back to the house as fast as she can leap the snowdrifts!

[Invite]

Tabitha looks so cute. She is so adorable without snow, but even cuter with it. I love your dog, Whicker, but then again you already knew that!!! Thanks for posting the pic DGRH!

[whicker]

Thank you for posting Tabby's photo for me, DGRH!

The snow is now over the outdoor dining table. The spot where the photo was taken is filled in with snow. Tabby is going to need to have a snow blower to break trail to the yard.

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

I just checked the weather forecast - apparently the central US will be punished on Tuesday-Thursday...when am I (or maybe I should say, when was I supposed to!) fly out? ...Wednesday.

I have a feeling not many people will be finding their way across the US for family gatherings this week...

[akstaj]

I love the pic, we don't have much snow, but enough to make me really concerned about falling. My brother had a malamute that did the same thing, it always made me smile. I had a pretty good day, I have decided to have a semi custom saddle made while I am recovering so I have been meeting with the saddle fitter, she brough out some samples and was able to get on my mare and "try" them out. Actually I sat on her and walked around half the arena. I don't feel to bad. My shoulders are sore from grooming two horses. But I think I needed some quality time at the barn.

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

Yes, be careful!! Especially when it melts, then ices over!

Tell us more about the saddle? I know whicker has been trying to do the same thing for her needs.

[Invite]

Definitelty start a new thread about your saddle venture. Many of us NQR folks need special saddles and it is nice to know which companies a great to work with,etc. Please share your semi-custom adventure with us!!!

[akstaj]

So over the weekend I started have shooting pain and numbness in the legs, so bad that I couldn't sleep. I didn't think much of it, but the boyfriend was very concerned. Called the doc and said it was nerve inflamation and was completely normal. So they put me on Lyrica, not sure if I like the meds. Any one else use this med. My main concern is the weight gain warning. Lord knows I need to loose some weight, not gain any more, especially since I cannot do anything physical at the moment. Any ideas, I don't expect to be able to loose weight right, it would be nice, but I don't want or need to gain any? Thanks for listening to my vent. On a positive note the horse are good, I should really post some pics. I will work on that this weekend.

Angela

[syntheeya]

...Called the doc and said it was nerve inflamation and was completely normal. So they put me on Lyrica, not sure if I like the meds. Any one else use this med. My main concern is the weight gain warning. ...


I'm in this club, too, unfortunately ;).

Briefly, I cracked my L1 and L5 in an unplanned dismount Sept 08. The next day I passed out in the shower due to pain and whiplashed my neck, further messing things up. However, my awesome doc refused to xray me, saying, "No, you're doing OK. It's only muscle damage." I could barely get out of bed for 10 days, but our area's ONE english show a year was coming up, so I sucked it up and rode in ~6 classes 14 days after the break! To be fair, I didn't know it was broken, although it hurt like hell. In retrospect, I might have passed out again, so maybe not the best idea?

Only 6 weeks after the fall did I finally manage to get xrays after threatening to sue my doc. So, I basically waited 14 days to ride... aside from the show, I would 2-point for 10 minutes at a walk 2-3x a week. Once I finally found out it was broken, it was too late for a brace. So I just kept riding. It took maybe 3-4 months for me to post at the trot, and I built from there. I finally got a good ortho and pain doc maybe 3 months after the fall.

To this day, I still have pain and I "baby" it - I make my husband sweep and muck stalls. I think that's very important. I don't sit the trot more than half a lap, and I don't ride without stirrups... I compensate by 2-pointing a lot. For me, stretching and massage has also been key - but making sure they don't go near the broken spots.

Because of all this fun, plus old injuries, scoliosis, and arthritis in my back, I have a good deal of pain. The nerve damage has resulted in myofascial pain/trigger points all over my back. Therefore, I tried Lyrica a few months ago. For about 5 days. It made me incredibly dizzy. I got on a horse and the world kind of spun... no thanks! It might have worked, but I didn't have 3 weeks to ramp up the dose. As you can gather, I am kind of stubborn about riding, and didn't want that to suffer, even if it meant more pain. :rolleyes:

I've had a number of steroid shots in trigger points, steroid epidurals, etc... and I was concerned those would affect my weight or metabolism. They haven't. So while I can't answer about the Lyrica weight thing, I find that it's hard to know how it will affect you until you take it. One side effect that I experienced from Lyrica was a heightened sense of skin sensation (?) - I could feel my clothes touching my body, the texture of chairs... it was really quite trippy. Not sure if it increased that or just numbed the internal signals... either way, I found myself touching a lot of things. :lol:

Hang in there, it WILL get better. Keep taking care of yourself, in the end it will make it a lot easier and give you a shorter recovery time!

[akstaj]

So I went to the doc, 11.5 weeks after the accident. I have been release to start PT, I can swim, walk and bike. No bending or twisting, no weight lifting. And no riding for at least another two weeks, and then I have to take it slow. I am happy, wanted to ride today. But I have come so far I am not willing to re-injury my self. I go back in 6 weeks, if all goes well I will be completely released. I may have a show season yet.

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

terrific news!

[Janet]

My sister broke a vertebra (L1 IIRC) a couple of years ago. (Bucked off a client's horse)

The surgery basicly "superglued" it back together- by the time she left the hospital it was "stronger than new". But she had a lot of soft tissue damage, and it took a while before she could ride again.

Now she says that taking pilates classes is what makes it possible for her to continue riding.

[jawa]

I was 19 (20 years ago) when I was bucked off. I tore muscles in my back and both legs, and knew I was in tremendous pain. My cousin drove me to the local doctors office. Was told to take pain pills, muscle relaxers and to take it easy until I felt better. Jump ahead 18 years. I was bucked off a horse and broke 5 ribs. Went to the hospital to make sure I hadn't punctured anything. They took X-rays and said, "You have had a broken vertebrae." That would explain the back pain that I have been dealing with for SOOOO long. About 5 years ago I started seeing a chiropractor. I went regularly for 6 weeks, I no longer go regularly. It made a huge difference in my level of pain. I was in pain daily and had a level of pain of about 4 or 5 on a scale of 10. After seeing the chiro I no longer have daily pain, and it is usually at a lower level of pain. I haven't had any seizing muscles since seeing the chiro (Knock on wood).

I would say give yourself lots of time to heal and make sure that your muscles will allow you to move the way you need to. Especially since you are going back to a somewhat hot ride. No since spending the time to heal to go ride and get hurt again.

Wishing you a speedy recovery!!!

[jawa]

I second what Janet says about Pilates. Having a strong core takes a load off your spine. It also makes you body aware. Are you loading evenly, etc...

[akstaj]

This is my plan, I always need a plan. I have waited this long to ride I am not going to do anything stupid. I have two horses, one that is worth her wait in gold who is a great quiet horse, the other is the one that bucked me off. I plan on doing therapy like the doc wants and start walking. I need to be fit to ride and show these horses, so as soon as I can turn and twist I will be looking at a core strengthening routine. I plan to ride the quiet one for a couple of weeks before I ride the other one. Although I can't wait to get on that sucker... Thanks for letting me vent the last couple of months and all the encouragement.

[whicker]

You can also expect adhesions from all the spots that got damaged during the fall and after. I found that the front of the pelvis had lots of layers of adhesions. Even though I landed on a seat bone, that then jammed up starting the cascade of broken vertebrae. You need the P.T. to pop them loose. It can really screw up your flexibility and muscle glide making you ride crooked and oddly.

You can also discover some unusual sensations as the nerves have to reprogram. My feet did curl ups on their own, ankles would swell and itch like crazy, and lots of leg spasms. YOur P.T can show you ways to stretch out the cramps and how to move.

It helps to have a full length mirror when you do your exercises at home. It is amazing how one's body says this is "level" or "straight" and then you look in the mirror and it isn't even close!

Make sure you have speed and agility before you get back on your challenging horse. It doesn't come back quickly. It takes work. Instead of giving yourself time deadlines, use movement accomplishments. You need to move a certain way at speed to do X. Getting on itself, will need breaking down to many small movements.

Going through the joys of injuries is part of what makes you a stronger, better athlete.

Did you find a saddle that you like?

Feel free to p.m. me if you want encouragement. This isn't an easy stage you are starting. We will be cheering you on!

[akstaj]

So I started theraphy, a little lame didn't do anything. What I got out of it is that I am to lie down for 5 min every two hours during the day, not sure how I am going to do that, but I will try. I renewed the gym membership yesterday and did my 30 min walking. I am a little sore, but good sore. Hamstrings are a little tight, shoulders are a little tight but it felt good. I am suppose to walk 30 min a day for the next two weeks. I may take today off, don't want to over do it. Plus, I have a cold, I haven't been sick all winter, I get the ok to do stuff and feel like crap. So annoying.

Whicker, I decided to buy a custom Antares. A little pricey but I look at it as a life time investment. I was able to get a flap that fits my leg that I can lengthen or shorten stirrups, I tend to rid with longer ones when I need to feel a little more in control. I haven't always been able to do that. I was able to pick the seat, I went with half deep, very comfortable, regular blocks, grain leather, and carmel color. And the regular tree actually fits both of the horses. I can't wait 8 to 10 weeks.

[TWF]

So over the weekend I started have shooting pain and numbness in the legs, so bad that I couldn't sleep. I didn't think much of it, but the boyfriend was very concerned. Called the doc and said it was nerve inflamation and was completely normal. So they put me on Lyrica, not sure if I like the meds. Any one else use this med. My main concern is the weight gain warning. Lord knows I need to loose some weight, not gain any more, especially since I cannot do anything physical at the moment. Any ideas, I don't expect to be able to loose weight right, it would be nice, but I don't want or need to gain any? Thanks for listening to my vent. On a positive note the horse are good, I should really post some pics. I will work on that this weekend.

Angela

Lyrica may add POUNDS your body very quickly (Check the insert if they say believe it!) So be careful!

3 1/2 years ago someone hit my car while I was sitting still. The 2 herniated discs were found but the T12 fracture was not. I was told I would be riding in 5 weeks SO I went to work recovering fast!!I went for a massage the next day...OMG!!:eek: I did PT & aqua therapy with a fractured spine! No support casts and no drugs. Looking back I don't know how I did it. I was crippled with pain. It took 19 months to find the fracture so I nowhave a vertebrae that looks like a crushed sand dollar!

My main trouble was getting relieving the pain so I could rest. I was on a multitude of nasty meds and felt terrible from the side effects. I looked drugged if I took ALL the meds as prescribed. I'm a PA and I couldn't get the relief I needed...I begged for surgery and in the work up they found the fracture!!.

FINALLY I found the balance and STOPPED the Lyrica! ( I gained 15 pounds in 3 months! Just what my back needed! ) I use Ice for shooting pains. Pop on your heated seats in yoru car when you drive. Electronic stim from the Dr office and the take home version. I use muscle relaxants now with a once a day NSAID(meloxicam) about 1 hour before bed and I finally sleep. My Neuro PA-C (Yeah!!!!!) gave me Lidocaine patches to use for on the spot pain relief. Today I am in PT, massage, aqua therapy in the hot pool, spinning recumbent style and an over 50's exercise class where you are forgiven for mis-steps and lagging movement.
Learn to give yourself muscle stretches, relaxation and positive feedback. Yoga & Pilates exercise will help sustain your core strength. I think a Wii (with the exercise feedback pad) would be beneficial too.

I haven't been good enough ride but I am north of 50 now! I started using my skills in other ways and have my second year end awards tonight!! A pair of mares with PHSA Championships take away a bit of the bite of recovery! Take very good care of yourself!! Channel your energy in other directions ..you know the ones you put off while you were so busy riding. Learn to say I WILL. Grab your camera and take loads of pics, learn from your work...you'd be amazed how you can improve with a little effort. (AND your friends will LOVE you!!!) Learn skills of highly effective people. GO on a high fiber semi Mediterranean diet and keep walking. Use therapeutic massage to relieve your pains and try to keep in mind in mind.... the side effects of meds have unintended consequences.


Chin up! A good friend with a spinal FX took up riding again. Take it slowly ..I am praying for your comfort and recovery. Good luck in your new directions..this is a time to concentrate on your untapped potentials!

[jawa]

Everyone has such great insight from all their experiences!!! I've enjoyed reading all of the posts.

I remembered one other thing that helped me greatly. My DH and I got a new mattress about 10 years ago. We decided to go with a tempurpedic!!! I would go to bed with a backache and wake up without one. I can tell how much it helps when we go away for 2-3 nights and the backaches start back up.

[whicker]

Congrats Akstaj, for getting started. Sorry about your cold. I hope that is over soon.

I 2nd the temperpedic bed. That really helped me, and now my DH is appreciating it, after dealing with hospital beds.

I am amazed that you are already comfortable sitting in the saddle. The antares must be beautifully cushioned and fit you well. You are quite lucky to have found a match so quickly. When is it due to arrive? Please keep us posted.

When are you allowed to ride? Are you going to wait for the saddle to come? Are you going to the barn more often now? You mentioned that grooming is tiring. Think of it as part of your exercise regime, while giving you some happiness with your horses.

I hope the weather breakssoyou can enjoy being able to walk outside.

[KPF]

Glad to hear things are improving! :)

The walking will really help you build your strength back up. My doc had me walking about 4 weeks out and I built up to a mile a day. I felt a lot better after a month or so of my daily mile-- luckily our farm road is deserted and it was exactly a mile from my door to the end of the road and back. So I didn't have to make a huge effort and got to enjoy the scenery (deer, hawks, turkey, etc) while I walked.

Just take it slow, it'll be worth it in the end.

Oh, and also, you may want to consider a vest when you get back on-- I didn't wear one at first but then purchased one and have been wearing it. I know it won't necessarily prevent another spinal fx but I think it lessens the impact, for sure. And I was glad I had it on when a 17.2 horse tripped and then spooked in my lesson last month and I hit the dirt. Sadly, I had time on my long way down to think "damn, I'm glad I wore the vest today.":lol: I ride at a hunter barn and yeah, I look funny, but the hell with it, it makes me feel better.

[akstaj]

I plan on riding in a week, the doc said as long as it is "light" it should be ok.

I stopped taking the Lyrica a week ago and feel so much better mentally and physically. The PT has giving me some instructions to reduce the numbness in my leg and it seems to be working.

I love the saddle, it should be here in 8 to 10 weeks, in the meantime I plan on borrowing a friends saddle until mine comes in.

I am looking forward to hitting the gym for a walk tomorrow and maybe some time in the hot tub.

I am really looking forward to my ride next week. It has been 13 weeks today and it has been a rough road but it has gone really quick, I think the weather and holidays have helped.

I really want to give myself the month of February to get in shape and hopefully at that point I can plan my show season.

[akstaj]

So we have been in physical theraphy for two weeks with two more to go, I think I am going to asked the doc for another month. I am getting stronger although everything doesn't work the same. I am also riding. Got on the horse that removed me from his back for the first time post accident. It was good. Here is a pic.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023440&id=1405383921



I am trying to get to the gym 3 times a week walking and swiming. I am really starting to enjoy it. Not too much pain. My biggest complaint is numbness in my legs. I stopped taking the Lyrica, didn't think it helped any way.

Hopefully my new saddle will ship on time, March 2 and I will have it within a week. I currently don't have a saddle so it is limiting how much I can ride, which is a good thing at the moment.

Thanks for all the support.

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

I can't access the pic, but so happy for you that things seem to be progressing!

[whicker]

Glad to hear that you are doing so well! It takes determination to come back.

The numbness is such and odd feeling, isn't it? Do you get warning sensations before the numbness? Have you been given some exercises that you can do in the saddle to relieve the pressure on the nerves? I found that my horses reacted to my loss of leg control that went with the numbness. They worried, and a few took advantage. I had to stop riding those and find other riders for them.

You may find that you have a finer tuned sense of balance with the injury. It may not be in the same place as before, either. Listen to your body for where you can put it and have the PT help you gain the vertical-ness. If you go too fast, you will hit the numbness wall.

I would love to see the photo of you in the saddle, but I can't. Please would you use another method? photobucket seems to link well to coth.

I am proud of you!:D

[AWorkinProgress]

Congratulations on getting back in the saddle! That's a huge step. Don't worry about things not working the same, you can learn new ways to make them work. I had to completely re-learn how to use my body, but I think it's actually helped my riding. I don't just go by "feel" anymore, I think about what I'm doing.

It's been 4 yrs since I was injured and the numbness is still there for me. I'm pretty sure I'll never get sensation back in my left leg. Sometimes that's something you just have to deal with. I've learned to compensate for it. I find that I pay a lot more attention to my posture now. I don't have the "feel" for riding that I used to, but it makes me a lot more conscientious in the saddle. Be careful dismounting, I fell right on my butt several times because I just didn't realize where my legs were when I hit the ground. It didn't hurt, but it's sort of embarrassing. Be careful of your ankles, too. I twist mine all the time if I'm not careful of where I'm putting my foot.

My first month of PT was a breeze, they only have you doing easy exercises at first. I can tell you from experience that it only gets harder from here, but you can get through it. Getting through my injury taught me exactly how strong I am and that I am capable of anything. Horse people are made from tough stuff- you can throw us down, but you sure can't keep us there!

[akstaj]

Lets try the pic again, not the most flattering, I have a lot of cloths on, it still cold here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47686073@N08/?saved=1

Theraphy sucks, but it is good, I at least feel like I am getting stronger, I am going to ask the doc for another month just so we can get past the being able to function.

The funny thing about the numbness, I don't get it when I ride, or at least haven't yet. It is mostly when I lay down. When I go back to the doc I will ask him. If it never goes away I can deal, I just don't want it to be a symptom of something bad.

I will keep you posted on the progress.

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

Now I can see you! Love your horse...and love your smile.

[AWorkinProgress]

Great pic!

It's probably good that you don't have numbness all the time, it sounds like you're just pinching something when you lay down. Have you tried putting a pillow between your knees when you lay down? I find that helps a lot if I'm laying on my side. If I'm on my back I put a pillow under my knees. I'm actually more comfortable standing or riding than I am sitting or laying down.

[akstaj]

So things have been going really well, pt is sucks but I feel like it is working, I rode the mare yesterday and she was a dream, I feel like my body is finally starting to work. Legs are a littel weak but everything else was good. I get on the big guy today, I don't feel like I did anything. So my question is how long does it take to get it back? I know there isn't an answer but I don't know if it is nerves, this is the horse that caused the injury or if I am not physically strong enough to ride him yet. I did trot him longer than I have since the accident, but after yesterday, I was gonna canter him. Nope didn't happen. I am really sore right now, I don't feel like I hurt myself, but maybe scare tissue or a muscle pull, but I am really frustrated. I have someone riding him and she is doing a great job with him, she rode before I got one and was really quiet, but I just don't trust him completely. I have started lunging him and that has helped, but any ideas to build that my trust level with him.

I am planning on doing a 30 min lesson with the trainer just to spend some quality time in the saddle.

Thanks for letting me vent. You guys are the greates.

[Liz006]

I'm also recovering now 5 weeks out from a burst and 2 other lumbar fractures. Have heard everything from never ride again to I'll be fine to ride at some point. Ortho I saw also suggested pilates once I heal because the TLSO brace they put me/us in bears a lot of your trunk's weight so the abdominal and back muscles atrophy. No one has given me a time line either.. and we got a new horse 8 mon ago..GOOD LUCK!:winkgrin:

[whicker]

It won't all come back easily. Your body has to heal more.

Your body remembers that shape barrel and feel and movement. It matches the injuries, so riding that particular horse will hit all the hurt spots and you will feel it. So your body is telling you you aren't ready yet. That is the way it is for now, so give yourself a big hug and roll with it.
You don't have to be on any time schedule, just focus on the small steps and do the P.T. It takes months to come back. Usually at least 6 weeks to grow some muscle fibers and the pattern setting takes much longer. Only resetting the neuro-pathways takes a few days.

It is frustrating, I know from experience, sigh...

[akstaj]

Just shy of 20 weeks, I have been released from the doctor and pt. I have ridden 3 days in a row and no pain. I have started riding the big guy and it is going well, but I am not pushing it. Right now happy to walk/trot. The mare is officially back to work, much to her dismay. Everything is starting to work. Right side is still a little weaker, but it is getting better. I am in the gym 3 to 5 days a week and plan to ride 3 to 5 days a week. The big guy is having surgery in two weeks, so while he has some time off I can get stronger. My long term goal is to take both of them to a show Memorial Day weekend. :yes:

[jawa]

Congrats on being back in the saddle again. I hope you have continued success with your recovery!!!

[whicker]

Keep us posted on your progress. We will want to see the photos when you are ready to show them. Very happy for you that your recovery is going so well.

[akstaj]

So I got a little brave, there was no one at the barn but my friend and I, jumps were left up, and the mare was really quiet. So I popped over a couple fences, nothing higher than 2'3" but it felt really good.