Broken vertebrae

[akstaj]

Thanks

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]

The joys of the next stage of healing

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]

@akstaj;4573177

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]

More updates

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]

Back in the saddle

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]

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

[whicker]

Upward and Onward!

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!

[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]

Try again

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]

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]

How long?

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]

Finally

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!!!