I have been doing some reading on jointed stirrups. I have some issues with my SI joints and tend to have tight hips and lower back. With exercise they have gotten better but I was wondering about using jointed stirrups. I have read they are good for people with bad knees and ankles but haven’t found anything regarding my problem areas. My thought was that maybe it would take some pressure off my hips. Anyone have similar issues to mine that use them? Have they helped? Any feedback is appreciated.
I used the Sprenger bow balance stirrups for around a year. One day I got on my husband’s horse and rode in regular irons. I was amazed to find that my leg felt much more secure in them. I would think that they wouldn’t do much for your hips and back if you’re having to compensate for the looser feeling leg.
I know everyone says this, but I would think the best thing to do is to work on getting a tighter leg in general. That being said, you may already have a very strong leg.
If you decide to try them, you can find them used, and I had no trouble selling them when I went back to traditional irons. Also, some may be less “bendy” than others. That could make a difference.
I have no ACL in one knee and the other is questionable. I HATE the flexible stirrups. They don’t help my knee stuff, and they feel unstable.
Riding correctly is most helpful for my bad knees:
being very careful to keep my knees and toes lined up (not riding off the back of my leg, keeping knees facing forward), and not bracing in the irons.
Have you tried a stirrup with a wider foot bed? It really helped me. I bought the Jinn stirrups but there are others out there.
I would also vote for non-jointed stirrups with a wider footbed. It has made a much bigger difference for me than jointed irons (knees and back).
I have bum ankles that tend to just fold over whenever they feel like it. Jointed stirrups did not work for me and even caused me a fairly significant injury. I now have MDC Classic S Stirrups and I love them! The wider footbed is amazing.
Wider foot bed huh? Never even considered it but it sounds like a wonderful idea. Thanks for the recommendation.
I also opted for the Jin stirrups. Love them and worth the $$$.
I love my MDC ‘S’ Flex stirrups, jointed, wide foot bed, and an s-curve to position them properly. I rode in jointed Sprengers for over a decade so I was used to jointed.
For the longest time I had the normal sprenger stirrups. When my knee got bad enough to the point where I needed surgery, I switched to the bow balance stirrups. Last summer when I was having a lesson with a new trainer, they suggested switching back to regular irons. My knees and back have never been happier. It really makes you more secure! Your best bet is to just give it a try and see what works best for you 
Go on the cheap and get the Compositi Reflex wide footbed Irons from Dover. Had Bow Balance and Jin’s but the Compositi were the best $39 I have spent :yes:
My jointed stirrups on my huntseat saddle have been wonderful for my knees and back. I ride in regular irons for dressage.
I’ll just say that I have been admiring the MDC Sport Classics for a while… I finally gave in an contacted MDC by email. I was almost immediately emailed back by Mr Cohen, the owner & designer of all the MDC products. I spoke with him today & I have a pair of Sport Classics on the way for me to try, with the option to return them if I am not satisfied with them. I am truly impressed with the customer service given by Mr Cohen. You never talk directly to the owner when you call a company now a days!!! Mr Cohen was very nice and very accommodating over the phone. I recommend consulting with MDC. My experience with them so far has been delightful and I am looking forward to test riding these stirrups!!!
I was using the HS Sprenger 4 way jointed stirrups for the longest time. My ankles, bottom of my foot, knees, and lower back ached every day after riding (and sometimes on the days I didn’t ride)! I started seeing the Jin stirrups pop up, and went to my local tack store to see if they had them. They did, and I trialed them. It’s been probably two months now and I still have them. I haven’t had any pain at all and have (thankfully) been able to keep my heels down much better than before. I highly suggest that you at least try the Jins. Totally worth the money!
I feel your pain!
I suffer from hyper mobile SI joints and I have really struggled to find the right combination of tack and body position to be able to ride.
For me, the biggest game changer was the wide bed stirrups. I was noticeably more comfortable when I switched from regular irons to the wide bed. The jointed irons gave me more pain as it seemed to just add an extra layer of instability to the equation (or equitation
The other big switch I made was to give up my lifelong dressage addiction and switch to hunters. I know it sounds counter intuitive, but the forward bend and seat out of the saddle most of the time really reduced the amount of bumping and jostling to my SI joints and means that when I am fit I can ride an entire lesson without back pain… a huge win as I was beginning to think I would have to quit riding altogether!
[QUOTE=aabradley82;8054694]
I’ll just say that I have been admiring the MDC Sport Classics for a while… I finally gave in an contacted MDC by email. I was almost immediately emailed back by Mr Cohen, the owner & designer of all the MDC products. I spoke with him today & I have a pair of Sport Classics on the way for me to try, with the option to return them if I am not satisfied with them. I am truly impressed with the customer service given by Mr Cohen. You never talk directly to the owner when you call a company now a days!!! Mr Cohen was very nice and very accommodating over the phone. I recommend consulting with MDC. My experience with them so far has been delightful and I am looking forward to test riding these stirrups!!![/QUOTE]
Years ago he personally helped me too when I was having issues with the MDC Ultimates (wrong size pads came with the stirrups). He took care of it immediately and was extremely helpful. He will let you test out the stirrups to see if they will work for you. Hard to beat that kind of customer service. I did end up with the MDC Ultimates and they were a huge help with my knee pain (no meniscus and a completely replaced ACL in one knee). They flex just enough but never feel unstable. Love those stirrups!
[QUOTE=cgray0983;8053094]
I love my MDC ‘S’ Flex stirrups, jointed, wide foot bed, and an s-curve to position them properly. I rode in jointed Sprengers for over a decade so I was used to jointed.[/QUOTE]
I just got a set of these. Love them!
They are flex but a stiffer flex than the Sprenger or Sprenger knock off stirrups. There’s flexion but I don’t find it destabilizing.
I’m trying to recover from tendonitis in both knees after switching from sprenger-knockoffs to Fillis for more stability.
- Non-flex MDC didn’t cut it. The adjustable eye pushed into my shin and still caused inflammation
- Back to Sprenger knock-offs, better but less stable than I’d like
The MDC ‘S’ flex stirrups are a great middle ground.
Had a pair of MDC Ultimates, and while they made my ankles and knees feel great, they made my hips worse. My favorite stirrups EVER are the cheapie black composite stirrups (Jeffers, Smartpak and Dover carry them). They have just enough something to help all my joints.
I think I’ve tried every stirrup under $100 - lightweight, flex, wide footbed, traditional - because I have at least one bad ankle and creaky knees. Also, I’m 60 now and still doing cross country and hunters and a greenie ottb, and have no plan to stop anytime soon. Two years ago I bought the Herm Sprenger Bow Balance Stirrups Irons - and I NEVER EVER spend this much money. They are wonderful! No ankle pain, great for my knees. In fact, the more I ride in them the stronger my knees are when I’m off the horse. And the stirrup pad is the best I’ve ever had - my feet no longer slip in the stirrup, and the cushioning is the best. Worth every penny.
http://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Herm_Sprenger_Bow_Balance_Stirrups_Irons/descpage-HSBBSI.html
