Hi – I cross-posted this on the dressage forum. I’ve read through the other threads on back issues which I found by searching. Anything additional anyone can add would be appreciated. I was told in the ER that I have a mild fracture and also had a CT scan. How long until you were back in the saddle? Exercises/therapy that you might have found helpful? Thanks in advance!
I had a T-12 compression fracture back in 1991. A horse that I was riding flipped over and landed on me (it was not my horse).
I was in the hospital for four days. PT taught me how to walk with a walker. I was fitted for an upper body brace which covered my ribcage, back and supported my sternum.
I could not lift or go up stairs for weeks. I used the walker, until I was strong enough to walk without it.
I asked my Doc how long it would be before I could ride again. He told me to stay off of my horse for a minimum of six months. :eek:
By the time that I went for my four month check up, the Doc released me to ride. 
I rode in my brace for the first couple of months. I only walked for the first couple of weeks and gradually added trot, canter and jumping.
My posture, which has always been poor, improved a whole lot, while wearing the brace.
The Doc told me that I would always be able to tell when a weather front was coming through, because of the fracture. I have never felt it there. In fact, the good news is, I have never been bothered by it since.
I am a “crazy” Eventer. I have had many injuries over the past 50 years. The T-12 was the one which has bothered me the least.
Every situation is different. Follow PT and your Doc’s advice and you should do fine.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with me. My posture is also improving, thanks in part to the brace my orthopedist fitted! I’m looking forward to getting back in the saddle, and am following advice of my health care team.
JMHO!
There are just too many variables with each case to really be able to answer your questions…IMHO. Things like severity & location of the fx, your age, fitness, weight, riding style, saddle & pads, horses movement, repair speed and others all influence. I think you gotta go with your docs recommendations after looking at your xrays, pain levels & recovery. Some do not have a successful recovery and are ever comfortable again much less be able to ride again…some need surgery too…just too many variables…jmho as a nurse.
Thanks wateryglen - I wasn’t asking for a plan for myself, just trying to get a handle on what others’ experiences might have been. I think I’ve got a great team to help me, and everybody is saying that I can’t even think about riding for 6 weeks, so we’ll see what we see as time goes on. At least I have the best ride I ever had on my new horse to remember before I went airborne!
I had a compression fracture of T-12 when I came off my horse in 1994 … and didn’t know it until 2004, when I had X-rays done of my spine because my back was giving me trouble.
When I first did it, it hurt like hell, but wasn’t too bad as long as I just took it easy – VERY easy. Lots of ibuprofen and no lifting. I was back to normal in about 6 weeks. But, as referenced above, it still bothers me sometimes if I don’t do my stretching exercises and push it too hard.
ETA – other than stiffening up when I’m bad and don’t stretch, my back gives me very little trouble and I’m 58 years old. I just started attempting dressage about 3 years ago and sitting trot is no problem. Just listen to your docs and you’ll be fine.
Well, you guys make me feel better and then worse, lol. I am about 7 months out from injury. Hairline fracture of T6, compression fracture T8, and experiencing prolonged nerve pain.
My doctors squabble about if I can/should ride. One set says YEA, the other says no.
I’ve done some low-key riding on a safe mount…and end up with roaring nerve pain for days afterwards.
So, I’ve decided to give it another few months.
Sigh…the most uncomfortable part of all of this is not the injury. I am afraid that my riding accident may have crippled by confidence.
If anyone has suggestions on how to cure fear, feel free to pipe in. I used to be a brave, confident rider.
Fear. I can offer only the advice of: time. Time and slow, steady riding on safe horses, doing only as much as you can handle, under the direction of someone who knows you and whom you trust. Someone who will push you a bit, though.
I have, in the last 5 years, had back surgery (L5), ACL repair, and 4-part humeral fracture/broken scapula and ribs. A run of terrible luck!
I thought about quitting after the arm, but just fought back through it. It took time and fortitude, but I’m back jumping again.
I also took to wearing an “eventing” safety vest. Sure, it may be more of a security blanket, but it helps my confidence and that’s as important as protecting my screwed-together bones.
My pro here in Ireland “broke her neck” in the Spring, and was back in the saddle by late June. She should NOT have been (she is post menopausal, which means bones don’t heal as quickly and easily.) She has had pain in her arm and leg since she started riding again, and it has gotten worse. She FINALLY talked to a doctor (about four days ago) (her BROTHER is a doctor!) and is going to see a specialist as soon as she can get in. (This is Ireland, it may be a while… ) Meanwhile, no riding (of course!)
Point being, take your time and HEAL. Add calcium/magnesium to your daily vitamins and drink plenty of milk. And Calvincrowe’s mention of getting an Eventing vest is a great idea!
Keep us informed!
Hi everyone - Thanks for all the contributions to this thread. I’m checking in here at 6 1/2 weeks. Of course, my first question after my accident was “When can I get on a horse again?” The PA in the ER said, “In a few days”…the PA at the orthopedist’s office said, “Maybe in six weeks, unless you have a Tennessee Walker”…and the sports rehab osteopath said, “As soon as you have a full range of motion with no pain.” I’ve been going with the last one.
Unfortunately, I’m not there yet. I’m still in a tortoise brace, and today is the first day that I get to have it off for an hour while I’m up and about and see how it goes. I try to remember to hold myself up inside my brace, but the very strong back muscles I used to have are gone. I’m completely off the mega anti-inflammatories and am on fewer pain meds.
My yoga teacher told me to try every day to remember to breathe deeply and to visualize my back as being strong. So I think about my body as being an oak tree in spring bloom, which works for me.
I started teaching again ten days after the accident, but find if I have to be on my feet for most of the day and sit in the car, that I’m very tired and it’s a setback for my recovery. I still have to be careful about getting bumped or jostled since I found out last week when I lay down the wrong way that it’s another setback.
I got back the results of my bone density scan and I have been diagnosed with osteopenia. Had calcium/vitD tests and have consultations set up for the next couple of weeks to see where we go from here and whether I have to consider having cement injected in the fracture.
Most of all, I miss riding and just spending time with the horses. I still can’t groom my horses or do any ground work. I’m seriously considering the Pro-Air vest (I’d really like the pink one!) for when I can finally get back in the saddle. I’m disappointed not to be further along in my recovery, and I’m working on my acceptance. It makes a real difference to be able to share here.
Easyrider-
Take your time! I tried to ride at 8 months (I had 4 surgeries/procedures to repair my arm/shoulder) and it hurt and was disappointing. I waited and it was easier and more satisfying.
On the “Air Vests” issue–you still need a standard vest under it in eventing, as they aren’t BETA certified. I have a Rodney Powell vest and really like it. Others swear by their favorite. Try several if you can. Be patient, as they are hot and stiff, but I’m used to mine now and am very uncomfortable without it on horseback.
Agree with this (but not a nurse!)… my dad fell off a roof several years ago and experienced a compression fracture of his T-12 along with a 30% compression of his spinal cord within the vertebral canal. The doctors said it was a miracle that he could still walk.
He was in a body cast for 8 weeks, followed by a brace for another number of weeks. He still has significant back pain, leans over to one side (involuntarily), and has lost over 1" of height. Due to the injury, he has permanent nerve damage and has constant leg pain and numbness as well.
I hope your fare better than my father is, I know his day-to-day pain is draining, to say the least.
Jingles for a quick recovery :yes:
I am almost 3 months out of a L5 fracture. Still have good days and bad days, and Im itching to get back in the saddle. Both doctors have told me that bedside nursing is no longer a good idea unless I’d like to be a cripple in a few years. Yoga, stretches, walking have all helped me a great deal with the pain. Funny but grocery shopping is one of the biggest things for me that makes my back hurt for days. Had an injection two weeks ago, another scheduled for Wed.
Got on my horse last weekend and walked for awhile, did a lot of two point which helped a lot b/c of the core muscles we use to do it. So that’s where I’m starting with getting back on. Have a lot of people giving me grief, but its summer, my horse is dead, and my brain and soul need it. So I take it one day a time, and will progress as my body tells me its ready to.
Checking in again at eight weeks.
I had constant pain in my lower back, where there was no fracture, until a few days ago. Took methocarbamol once a day for two days, and it’s gone. Amazing. If I’d only known, I would have done it a while ago!
Borderline osteoporosis in hip is leading to recommendations of those scary drugs that I don’t want to take. Have excellent levels of calcium, mag and VitD, without supplements. Am considering alternatives…bio-identical hormones…vitamin regimen, specifically Louise Gittleman’s recommendation of supplemental magnesium. And am eating 10-12 prunes a month (isn’t science strange?!).
I start PT next week, 2x/wk for the next month. Still looking forward to that pain-free, full range of motion my doctor says he wants to see before I get back on a horse. Can only say that I’m lucky that I can look forward to being pain-free as a possibility!
My heart and hopes go out to all on these threads.
I fractured my vertebrae when I was 19 and didn’t find out about it until I was 38 and fractured 5 ribs. The Dr was looking over the Xray and said that 5 ribs was borderline hospital stay to avoid pneumonia and they were concerned about this one spot on the vertebrae as they weren’t sure whether it was an old fracture or part of this incident.
I explained to him that I felt the vertebrae was most likely an old injury and I PROMISED to do my breathing exercises so as not to have pneumonia.
For the first few years after I hurt my back I would have episodes of muscle spasms over stupid things like ironing, picking up a piece of paper off the floor, laying or sitting on hard surfaces, sitting without back support, standing to long…So many things would cause intense, send me to bed for a day or two pain.
Skip to today… My back is much healthier than it has been in ages. I still have to be careful about over doing it and listening to my body, but it doesn’t bother me too often. Riding actually helps my back…it took me ages to understand why, but I believe its because it forces some movement and creates flexibility that I wouldn’t normally get. The more active I am the better I feel.
You should pm or do a search for whicker on this forum to see about her recovery and advice.
Update - good, finally
Well, it was a long road. The methocarbomol helped relieve the pain, but then it became one step forward, two back. I’d push myself in PT and the pain would return. At the end of October (nearly five months after the accident), I was still in pain and scared that it would never go away. I scheduled a session of Bowen Therapy (see related thread) and the morning of my appointment, I woke up pain free for the first time. It felt like a miracle.
I started riding that week, with a sheepskin seat saver that Whicker recommended. Thanks to the PT and my daily practice thereof, I had no discomfort whatsoever. I only felt discomfort around the fracture when I cantered a very stiff horse in a clinic.
I still can’t lift much weight. It was 11.5 lbs a few weeks ago, and it’s slowly getting easier to lift more.
I have to be careful how I carry myself – Yoga, Alexander Technique, exercise, pillows in the car, backtrack mini mattress all help. I have a full range of motion – just a little less full when I stretch to the left! I still take the methocarbomol and moist heat or ibuprofen and ice if I overdo, but it’s rare now that I need anything.
If anyone sustains the same kind of injury, I hope this thread is helpful. Thanks to everyone who contributed for all your support and suggestions!
