Ignoring doctor's recommendations

[quietann]

You said the conservative recommendation was from the PA, not the orthopedist? Time to talk to the orthopedist!

I had a bad fall almost 3 years ago and have some hardware holding my left collarbone together. My orthopedist wanted me to give up riding entirely and I said NO! We compromised on no jumping, because except for the bad fall mentioned, my falls have all come from jumping. (And even the bad one could be argued, because I was in between jumps when it happened, making a gentle turn at a hand gallop from one jump to the next.) I’ve cheated a few times, but now it turns out that my horse is also forbidden to jump due to a suspensory problem, so we’re enjoying our middle aged decrepitude together.

I have to say, I was really annoyed when I found out that my orthopedist is one of the big names with the Boston professional sports teams. No, I don’t earn a living by my sport, but I still consider myself an athlete of sorts. Middle aged and a little fat does not mean the best thing to do is become sedentary!

[tradewind]

I have a collection of old injuries, my doctor just shakes his head. Of course he does not understand dogs much less horses. What I have done is no jumping, no completely green horses. I have a nice middle aged OTTB who has a collection of old injuries like me. He is fine for everything except lots of jumping. But we both like a slower paced ride now, and I use a trainer for him in addition to me to keep him on the slow and steady path.

[Catersun]

Do what makes you happy- and just realize that at some point in your life… everything is going to start hurting no matter what you do Getting old sucks… it just happens to some of us sooner rather than later.

if I had an artificial hip… my luck is I would fall off and break the healthy leg. Enjoy your rides. There are only so many in life.

[sdlbredfan]

[QUOTE=Catersun;5564371]
Do what makes you happy- and just realize that at some point in your life… everything is going to start hurting no matter what you do Getting old sucks… it just happens to some of us sooner rather than later.

if I had an artificial hip… my luck is I would fall off and break the healthy leg. Enjoy your rides. There are only so many in life.[/QUOTE]

That is profound and true! Here’s to hoping no more falls for any of us.

[Vegas_Sky]

I’m an eventer, marathoner, and triathlete, in my early 20s and therefore young and dumb, I’ve had six concussions and one recent more serious head injury, and spine problems are a way of life. Add in an assortment of other old injuries and chronic conditions too numerous to count. In general I am not one who takes well to people saying “you shouldn’t”, much less “you can’t”.

I know where you’re coming from.

Doctor 1: “What is your main goal for treatment?”
Me: “I want to run triathlons again, but really my main problem is that I train young horses for a living and it’s my only applicable life skill. I haven’t worked in months. I need to start working again.”
Doctor 1: “I suggest you find a new applicable life skill. With your history of head injuries, it would be just as dangerous for you to ride as it would be for you to start smoking three packs per day. If you fall again you could lose everything.”
Me: “I could have lost everything the first time I fell, but I didn’t. Thank you have a nice day.”

Doctor 2: “What makes your pain go away?”
Me: “Not running or riding.”
Doctor 2: “Well, if we do that I’m only going to end up treating you for your depression, so clearly we need to find another solution.”
Me: “I emphatically agree.”
Doctor 2: “Let’s try X,Y, and Z and see where that gets us. Sound like a plan? Keep me in the loop.”

It’s all in perspective. Some doctors get it. Some don’t. A person who has never run three miles will never know why we get up at 4:30 every morning to go run 10 miles in the freezing rain and call it fun. A person who has never groomed a horse will never understand why we point young, ex-racehorses at solid rock walls and say “get me over”.

It’s 100% a quality of life decision. A life without riding or running or biking or swimming or anything else that I love is no life for me. Period. I would rather do all that and die young than sit around baking cookies and knitting sweaters until I’m 89. Just my opinion and personality.

I can only speak as a person with lots of experience from the patient’s perspective and what I hope will be my perspective as a physician: the role of the physician is not to tell you what you can and cannot do, the role of the physician is to make clear the options and consequences of every action and help you make the right decision for YOU. Not Jim the bus driver or Katie the CEO. The right decision for YOU, the rider, the runner, the rower, or whatever else you might be, even if it’s a decision the physician does not agree with.

Just my opinion.

[Diamondindykin]

I was in a bad rollover truck accident that left me with neck and back issues. I was told by a Neurosurgeon and Othopedic that I would never ride again. I didn’t ride for a year or so but when I went back to the care of my family care doctor he told me that I needed to keep riding more for my mental health. It also helps that he used to have horses when his kids were younger.

I try to ride really broke horses and I also try to keep myself from bad riding situations if I can help it. Life it too short so spend it worrying about what might happen

[sdlbredfan]

Wow, Vegas Sky, that is great insight! I am referring to your ‘I can only speak as a person with lots of experience from the patient’s perspective…the role of the physician is not to tell you what you can and cannot do, the role of the physician is to make clear the options and consequences of every action and help you make the right decision for YOU.’

[Mara]

[QUOTE=sdlbredfan;5584904]
Wow, Vegas Sky, that is great insight! I am referring to your ‘I can only speak as a person with lots of experience from the patient’s perspective…the role of the physician is not to tell you what you can and cannot do, the role of the physician is to make clear the options and consequences of every action and help you make the right decision for YOU.’[/QUOTE]

Ditto this!

I’m trying to find the “happy medium”, so to speak. If it were JUST me, the decisions wouldn’t be that difficult. But it’s selfish of me to tell my husband, “we’ll probably be spending our savings on surgery for me instead of our dream vacation in ten years. Deal with it, because I want to do X.”

Now, he is athletic as well - it’s one thing we bonded over when we were dating. So he understands where I’m coming from. He also gave up competitive cycling last year after his crash, though that has mainly to do with the fact that he’s a professional tennis coach and his income depends on him having four working limbs.

I’ll ride, though - as I said, it’s not as if I’m going to start hopping on greenies! Now, just to find the time. . .

[Star012]

Hi all, I have found a surgeon who does the anterior approach (over 300 hip replacements using this approach) and light anesthesia with a lower block. Now I just have to get up the nerve to go for it! The pain in my hip is awful…so that’s enough of an incentive. I expressed my fear to a riding buddy, of dislocation after surgery while riding. Her anwer was, “so??? Maybe you will have to deal with pain, but you arent going to die from it!”

The posts above offer good points. I need to ask my surgeon his “worst case scenario” for me and what are the consequences…good advice!

Could anyone tell me how you get on and off your horse if there is no mounting block?

[SandyUHC]

A sport you might want to try while you are getting your hip all squared away – fencing. The intensity feeds whatever it is I’m missing from not riding. I don’t feel it in my hips but my thighs tell me all about it the next day. : - )

[Leena]

Most of the doctors that crossed my life have a very poor opinion about riding. Most of the one I talk with thought riding is not an exercice, that won’t improved your cadio and musculation…

Back 15 years ago, my family doctor told me I should not be riding because my lower back is in a mess and I could end up in a weelchair if I ever fall.
I felt a couple of times since and I am still walking very well.

I do have problems with the sciatic once in a while.

The onco urge me not to touch any animal 4 years ago…Now in the palliative care, my new doctor gets her eyes wide open everytime I tell her about my journey.

All those “discours” did poorly to convince me about stopping riding. For sure I add up some movement I do more safely, there is things like jumping I forget about.

As long as I know how and I take fully responsability for the sport I do, so if something happen I won’t complain.

Go with your feelings and they will tell you if this is too much for you.

Good luck and have fun !

[JSwan]

Leena, you are an inspiration to us all.

[DressageAppy]

Most of my doctors have advised me not to ride with all my medical conditions but riding is my escape from everything! Even on days where I just can’t ride it is great to spend the day with my horse!

I use to suffer from sever depression and was heavily medicated but since owning my own horse I have come off a lot of these medications. Now from a doctors point of view isn’t that the goal? Haha

I walked in the door tonight hobbling, I could hardly walk I was in so much pain but I had a HUGE smile on my face because I got to ride today! I am never going to give up my riding I just may have to modify it a bit like no more jumping for me but I just LOVE my dressage so I am not to fussed about not jumping any more.

Do what makes you happy, we just have to be a bit more creative in our application good luck with your riding

[Bluey]

Not in the same category at all, but also a bit frustrated that, in the past three years, had four surgeries and the subsequent rehabs, still am on rehab from the last shoulder surgery and anxious to be released.
I am about to disregard the Drs orders if they don’t turn me loose soon.
I feel that I can get on and off now and definitively ride.

Being patient, being patient, being very patient …

I guess that if I was not to ride any more, I would think of some other way to have horses around anyway AND enjoy whatever I can do, even if it was not riding any more but petting them.:yes:

Grandma used to ride her old horse out in the canyons, going along with my two first colts of the morning, when she was 84.
I saddled him, helped her on him and we were good to go.
Guess that she was lucky, many of her generation didn’t make it to that age, much less be still riding.

[wildlifer]

Get on your horse. I’ve got a bulging disc at L5/S1, got the last set of facet joint injections coming up this Thurs (they do help me) and at the moment, fractures on the ends of my left tibia/fibula (unrelated to back issues). I told the orthopedist I ride and that it was necessary for existence and I promised to “light” riding (no competition, no lessons) and work (field biologist, only doing trips that are mostly swimming or standing still) while my leg was healing. He was at least good enough to say, “Ok, but just know that you can fall and reinjure it worse. But if you decide to do it, I will support you. I won’t say I told you so, but…” I figured that was the best I’d get from a non-horse person, so I’m on the horse, just going slow (he’s recovering from injury too). You can fall at any time and hurt any number of things, it’s all a calculated risk. Even walking trails is better than being depressed at the house!

[Obi]

Please Ride!!!

I have chronic Lyme disease and have been between bedridden and depressed for the past two years. I have three gorgeous horses on my farm, none of which are safe for me to ride. At my last lyme appointment, my doctor suggested that I limit my exposure to my animals (including 2 yellow labs and a couple of barn/house cats). WTF??? Limit my exposure to my animals? I know he is afraid of my continued exposure to ticks (I have been bitten about 8 times this summer/spring already). I live alone, and yes, my animals are my closest companionship.

I took a riding lesson yesterday at a farm near my house. All I did was walk with a little trotting. Yes, I had to stop trotting at one point because I got winded but for the first time in a long time, I got that old feeling back.

Horses, and my dogs are a huge part of my life. If I were to give them all up in fear of being bitten by a tick or hurt by a possible kick etc, I might as well check into the looney bin. I cannot live in fear of ‘what could happen’. Instead, I need to make my life happen again because the way it is now, it is downright depressing.

I am not riding my 6 year old gelding because he is not safe but hopefully with lessons at the neigboring farm with their schoolmasters, I will get my seat back and some strength. I will do it as safely as possible but I will not give it up…I just can’t.

Perhaps if you start out with just flat work, no jumping, etc, that might be a way to keep your doctor happy and you safe. What about trying dressage or western? Even saddleseat has its challenges (and excitement). But if riding is in your heart like running was, make it happen, just be safe about it.

[pharmgirl]

@trina1;5552000

As a doctor, I discuss risks versus benefits in actual numbers as best I can. This is helpful to assess risks and make recommendations for physical activity. Saying “you could injure it again” is obvious, but the question I would ask would be “If I were to ride, and fall, what kind of complications could I expect?”. Could this mean a surgical revision, a more complicated surgery, a greater likelihood of pain, a problem that is not reparable, whatever. Your surgeon should be able to discuss this with you. I know some orthopedists who are overly restrictive of their patients’ activities to the point that is it ridiculous, others not so much.

My advice, this is worth a sit down talk with the doctor and bring a list of questions!

Ditto this :yes:. I specifically did this after my last injury (nasty elbow dislocation and fractures), mostly because my family was freaking out about me riding again (the injury wasn’t even ON the horse!). Either way, I made sure I ask what would happen if I fell on it with the hardware in/hardware out, etc. I even did it with my husband there so he witnessed what the surgeon said and therefore he could not try to say I was lying or something just to ride again ;).

I think at some point you have to decide what makes you happy, and take responsibility for the risks involved with that activity. But, I would definitely get that all the consequences on the table so you can have the most informed decision possible (and if that means getting another opinion to help with that, do that).