Returning to riding after neck break

[hearthorse]

Hi. I wanted to find people with the experience of returning to riding after a broken neck. I was wondering how long after your recovery you were able to get back to it.

I completely crushed my C1, and fractured my C2 in multiple places 8 weeks ago in a riding accident. My horse spooked and bolted and at the end of it was slammed face first into a tree. I did not have surgery, I have been in an Aspen collar. I was told they have no idea how I am not paralyzed. I have never stopped having feeling in my arms and legs. I am so thankful, but as a horse person (only you guys can understand) Im anxious to get back on! I am 29 years old and in fantastic shape. I am a dance teacher and have been back teaching now for weeks. I can’t move very fast or side to side, but Im holding my own. I am not a very patient person when it comes to physical limitations. I was always raised to suck it up so this serious injury has been hard for me. I go tomorrow to rexray and find out when I get the brace off. I was told there is a chance I will get it off at 8 weeks as I have been rapidly healing.

So my question is, once you were healed how long before you were able to ride again? I am not trying to rush it, just curious. I know Im lucky and should take it slow.

Thanks so much for any advice!

[cadriver]

Well when I broke my back T 10/11 and I did end up paralyzed, my Dr. told me to wait for 1 year. Granted I had surgery and rods put into my back but what they said was that it takes a good year for the swelling etc to go down and to completly heal. So 1 year to the date I was back on a horse, I know that it seems like forever (I was 24 when I had the injury). So what I would do if I were you is talk to your Dr. and find out what they recommend. You really don’t want to risk it until it is really healed and strong. It isn’t the riding that is the problem it is usually the falling that would hurt it.

I have sense taken up driving:-)
Diane

[medical_mike]

Under “normal” athletic circumstances

That type of fracture is an absolute contraindication to return to most sports.

You may have permenant limitations on ROM, balance sense, etc. that can significantly affect your ability to protect yourself in a what if situation.

I’d spend some type reviewing the literature via pubmed.com or physician and sports medicine
and
talk at length with your physician about the implications to riding.

Regards,
medical Mike
equestrian medical reseacher
www.equicision.com

[EqTrainer]

Whatever the answer may be… Thank goodness you are ok!!!

[Laurierace]

Yeah my guess is a year at the minimum but never is probably a better answer. I understand how heartbreaking that is to hear but you are so insanely lucky to be alive let alone walking that I can’t imagine it being worth the risk. Not many people survive a hangman’s fracture unscathed.

[Calvincrowe]

At 8 weeks post fracture, your bones are just healed. With such a serious injury as yours, I can’t imagine risking my life getting back on at this point. I am so glad you are well–a testament to luck and fitness, I’m sure. But…you must seriously consider NOT riding for many months. What are your doctors and therapists saying?

I do know a professional in my area who fractured vertebrae in her neck. She did return to riding, but took many months off–and it was not as bad as yours was.

As a person who is now 55 weeks post-upper arm/scapula/rib fractures, I can understand your need to ride again. It took this whole time to be confident in my bones and in my fitness to get back on. I couldn’t imagine sitting on a horse at 8 weeks with my injuries. I hope you find the answers that make you happy. And as a horse person who seems to break every time I come off, I feel your desire to get back on the horse. I can’t imagine life without them.

[Graymaresrule]

OMG you are so lucky!

No experience but I noticed that one of the airbags that eventers wear seems to have some neck protection. When you are cleared to ride people on the eventing forum might have some suggestions

[hearthorse]

I go today for x rays to find out if the bones are healed yet and to determine when to get the brace off. I did not ask the “when” but if I can ride again last time. The doctor’s only reason for me not riding again was he saying would you risk getting that lucky again. I asked if I would be more likely to break my neck again and he said once it’s healed I am at no more risk than anyone else. That being said, I know the best answer for most would be to not risk it and not ride again. But going through something where I am told I should be paralyzed from the neck down and be on a breathing machine, puts things in a different perspective for me maybe than most would. I have chosen to take this gift of being able to recover and live my life. Not live it scared but live it to the fullest. My horses are the air I breathe. If I chose not ride, for me it would be as if I was paralyzed. This accident has shown me how short and fragile life is. I want to live what I have to the fullest. I am going to ask today how long I should wait. I agree with you guys that even though the bones might be healed it would be best to wait a few months. The other part is have I have severe muscle damage in my neck which seems to be taking longer to heal than the bones. I am going to take it slow. I have to admit even though Im dying to ride again, Im scared. The nightmare of waking up on the ground in the most pain I have every felt, realizing when I tried to get up that my head stayed on the ground and just knowing I had broken my neck was the scariest moment of my life. I couldn’t remember if I had been riding by myself or not, so I didn’t know if anyone knew where I was and I was a mile from the barn. The sound of my screaming for help haunts me every night. I was with others riding, and they were getting help at the time though I didn’t know it. I feel this nightmare will get better when I can get back on and move on from the accident. It’s been a long road so far, and I know it’s probably going to be a long one before I ride again, but it’s my big goal, and something I look forward to every day. I will keep you posted what the doctor says today.
Thanks!

[whicker]

There is hope

I sent you an email.

Having broken a number of vertebrae in various falls over the years, and come back from them, I have a different perspective. I have been a highly trained athlete. I became a international ULR in eventing for 10 years, after my first major broken back/neck injury. I was wearing a jockey helmet, which saved my life.(That accident happened from my horse going through a hole when an underground stream collapsed under him)

First, until fairly recently, doctors didn’t even x-ray after horse accidents. It took 6 months to get a diagnosis after the last one. (I got hit by a deer while I was galloping a big DWB) And that was 5 years ago, in the Va horse country.

I had visited 3 doctors before I found a P.T. who recognized the symptoms and suggested an excellent neuro-spinal surgeon. I was a poor surgery candidate, with so many vertabrae compression fractures.

We used physical therapy instead. Instead of giving me a general time frame, we went by how I responded to P.T. after the x-rays showed the bones were healed enough to start. I learned to set my core, again, using a nifty little light up geiger counter like gadget. All the muscles and neural pathways had to be reset in order to work again.

The stair steps to the ultimate goal of riding again, were determined by how my body responded. I had to master each small step to get to the next one. Eventually, we worked on the movements of being around the horses.

Then there is the stage of working, ideally, with a therapy trained horse. It is slow process. As you already know, it takes at least 6 weeks to build muscle. The neural pathways can be jump-started in about 3-4 days. Then there are the 10,000 repetitions to have the automatic nervous system kick in.

You have been on the eventing forum,and have talked with RunForIt. She made a wise move in having her horse schooled by a wise trainer. It also would be worthwhile to see if there is a physical reason for your horse’s sudden reaction. It sounds like a nerve pain reaction in the back. We can also talk about ways to help your horse.

[whicker]

Another option to consider

I used PRP (platelet rich plasma) stem cell therapy to rebuild all the connective tissue that got hyper-extended. It made all the difference!

You can read a bit about it at Dr. Mayo Friedlis’s site www.treatingpain.com

[EqTrainer]

Wow Whicker, awesome helpful posts!

OP, just dont underestimate how the muscle supports the bone, a hard lesson i have learned is that until my muscles are strong, my bones take the brunt of things.

Hope it all goes smoothly.

[arabiansrock]

two words “Christopher Reeve”. Listen to LaurieRace, she is on the dot. You should not ride again as hard as it is to hear that. Your survival was a miracle, and I disagree with the dr saying that you are no more likely to get hurt than you were before. jmho.

My dh broke his l3 a year and a half ago, and dr told him that he is always at risk of reinjury and to be extremely careful (he was on the roof with no one home, slid right off onto the concrete).

Maybe you could consider alternative ways of getting hte horse fix we all need, teaching, driving, ground working?

anyway, congratulations on your rapid recovery and best wishes to you.
arabsrock

[cadriver]

[QUOTE=hearthorse;5457902]
But going through something where I am told I should be paralyzed from the neck down and be on a breathing machine, puts things in a different perspective for me maybe than most would. … I have chosen to take this gift of being able to recover and live my life. Not live it scared but live it to the fullest. My horses are the air I breathe. If I chose not ride, for me it would be as if I was paralyzed. This accident has shown me how short and fragile life is. I want to live what I have to the fullest.Thanks![/QUOTE]

You and only you can decide if you want to ride again. I like your atitude very similar to mine. Think of the things you can do not the things you can’t. I take a calculated risk everytime I lead my horse from my chair, everytime I get in the carriage, everytime I pick the hind feet of my 3 year old colt. I don’t think about what could happen. That is to depressing…

[hearthorse]

Thanks Whicker for the very helpful post, and thank you cadriver for inspiration! I got the hard brace off today and am now in a soft brace for a month. The x rays showed the bones are almost completely healed and the doctor smiled and laughed as he said the spinal canal is wide open and there is nothing to pinch any nerves. He said it is healing perfectly. Such great news! Im excited to be cleared to drive a car! And he said wait a few months before getting back to riding slowly. Cadriver, I have seriously considered taking up driving. arabiansrock, yes the first thing the neuro said in the ER was that he had good news and bad news for me. He said, “the bad news is you have the exact same injury as Christopher Reeves, the good news is unlike Christopher Reeves you are superman and will fully recover.” Hearing that did two things, it scared the every living S*** out of me to think of what could have happened, and two made me realize how much of a miracle and gift I was given. I might not be able to event again. I’m not sure how long it will take to be able to get over my fear of galloping in the open again or if ever, but i know I have to get back to some sort of Me on a horse. I completely understand where you guys are coming from of the not riding again. I promise I have taken it into serious consideration, and in a lot of ways still am. I have more people in my ear telling me not to ride than to ride. Thank you guys so much for your personal stories, opinions, and advice! It’s nice to come somewhere here and talk to other “horse People” about the accident. Horse people are just a different breed, my kind of breed!

[Doctracy]

I fractured c-7 in 7 or 8 pieces, have a fusion from c5-7. It’s a miracle I’m not a quad, I’ve seen two other people with the same injury who were. I had a non-union for 4 months so was in a brace for 6 months. Had a ton of muscle and ligament damage since it was a whiplash type injury. I rode 12 months after the accident, worked very hard at PT to get there.
I’m realizing now, 10 years later that my neck is still changing and even though I’m developing arthritis, my soft tissue and muscle is much stronger than even two years ago.
You are so, so lucky. Just take it really slow. Do a lot of PT, core work, yoga, pilates and swimming. It will happen and you’ll probably know when your body is really healed.

[hearthorse]

Doctracy, I have talked to a few people with similar breaks and everyone did PT. My doctor today told me they would only have me do PT if I lagging behind in recovery. I was a little uncomfortable with that answer. How much was your PT a part of your recovery? I have had PT for much less serious injuries and was a little confused by his answer.

[Graymaresrule]

air vest

http://www.bikebone.com/page/BBSC/PROD/Equestrian/MJ