soooo bummed, no hunting due to tendonitis

[bigbaytb]

Ugh. I am sooooo bummed. I cannot hunt tomorrow, and may be out a bit.

I have tendonitis in my right ankle. (in layman’s terms) It’s the muscle that runs on the outside of the leg, turns into a tendon, hooks around the outside of the ankle and connects. So it doesn’t hurt me to move it, but putting weight on it OOUCH.

I’ve been having some problems on and off for a few months. last weekend, after the hunt, the barn manager said all the gates were closed (we had used the fields as part of the hunt), so I turned out the horses…just to see them start to walk out a gate. i ran out of the barn, was able to stop them and all 8 went back into the pasture…and I couldn’t walk. A friend was there and i had her go get the BM to make sure all the other gates were closed. Poor man, he felt so bad and helped me out putting my stuff away.

I did go to the doctor to get a script for physical therapy. the deep penetrating ultrasound, electrode and treatments do help.

I rode wed. after a treatment. it was ouchy, but ok by the second horse.

So, today, I get DH (amazing) to go riding with me. BM sees me and asks if I’m hunting tomorrow. I thought I would, but he said that the new area had alot of hills and twists and that there would be some long runs. I thought I would.

so, Dh and I go out on the trails. the mare, who never spooks…spooked! I almost fell off on the right (where bad ankle is)…i wouldn’t do it cuz i would be so ticked if I was the one that wiped out and DH, who hasn’t ridden in 3 years, didn’t. I didn’t fall, but the extra weight on my ankle twinged it, and I was in alot of pain but continued on the ride, just some trotting and alittle cantering (that hurt).

I see BM on the way back and tell him I’m not hunting. He said he knew i would be bummed, but said he’d worry if I had hunted.

I have a trade show this week in vegas, so alot of walking. I really don’t want to be limping (which I’m doing now, UGH). So I won’t hunt tomorrow.

I call my trainer to ask her which horse she wants and I’d offer mine to somone else and trailer them to the hunt. well, while she was visiting family, she fell down the stairs one night and hurt her hip, she felt that hunting was out for her. she told me she has a really nice sherry all ready to go in her flask and hadn’t ridden all week. So, even chasing will be too ouchy for the two of us, we are just going to take the horses on a slow trail ride where I board, and to sample our flasks to make sure they are a good quality for the next hunts…then we’ll meet up for the field in…

I am so bummed though, I’d rather be hunting…

[JSwan]

Oh no - I’m sorry. Hope you feel better soon. Is there anyone who can keep your horse legged up for you? Or can you do a lot of ring work without stirrups or is that even advisable?

[lalahartma1]

I developed the same thing this summer! I suffered for months before going to the doctor and PT. The PT exercises really help, but I haven’t ridden for over a month. (Due to other factors.) I think it is something you’ll have to watch out for, for life. Get thee to the PT!

Resting it, icing it (if swollen) and exercising and stretching the other supporting soft tissue is really important!

Also, my doctor gave a script for Naproxen, long term anti-inflammatory.

Good luck, it does suck!

[tasia]

So sorry. Be very careful, I developed tennis elbow, which turned into resistant tennis elbow. I had the surgery for it and six months later it wasn’t any better. I had second surgery for the elbow and an entrapped radial nerve. A year and a half later my arm is finally feeling better. Not pain free but better. I probably would have avoided all of this if the Dr had just prescribed rest at the begining. Rest, Ice, Sore No More, Aleve. I hope you heal soon. Tendonitis is no fun!!

[bigbaytb]

Thanks all. The doc and PT are letting me make the decisions on my ankle, didn’t say not to ride but he asks how it’s going.

Arena work isn’t to bad and I’ll drop a stirrup if i need. Riding with the stirrup more home (closer to heel) also is a huge help. Yesterday would have been fine if Nisha didn’t spook…of course, my trainer and i are going for a trail ride today LOL. I"LL BE CAREFUL! i do have my ankle taped, which is what I should have done yesterday and I bet I wouldn’t have gotten dinged yesterday…ugh…

the good thing is that there won’t be a problem getting people to ride the horses. I have a few that will hunt either, So both will go for the wed hunt and Sunday if I don’t go. So I’m good there…just jealous!

[whicker]

Think outside the box

Have you considered getting a pair of endurance stirrups? I’m thinking hard about finding some. They are much wider, giving you a bigger base of support and they have a thick rubber cushion that takes the shock out. I used a borrowed pair at one point and they made it much easier to be at a posting or standing trot or any weight bearing position.

It took some doing to return to regular english stirrups. I wouldn’t have, except I was too shy then to ask the master for permission to keep the endurance ones. Now, I think, I wouldn’t have a problem asking or getting permission. They are just happy to see me out.

[GutsNGlory]

First, I don’t hunt (yet ;)), but I saw the title on the main board and thought I would take a look.

I also have tendonitis in both ankles. I’ve had it for roughly the past 10-12 years. I am lucky that mine is very mild, and only really bothers me when doing extensive two-point or jumping exercises. Even then, I simply feel a “strain” in both where I feel like I need to let my stirriups down and stretch them.

While I can’t work with a PT due to $$, I have found several exercises on my own which help. Stretching the tendon often during the day and directly before rides helps - the best is either against a wall or on the stairs, getting “down in my heel” and doing a lot of stretch, release, stretch, etc. Also, I ride with jointed stirrups to give some relief (although I’m thinking of switching back to traditional stirrups and simply working on strengthening the tendons more).

I feel for you that you can’t participate in the hunt this time! But don’t let it get you down… there are tons of solutions for this problem that will have you back in the saddle in no time.

[bigbaytb]

whicker…yeh, I’m going to look at wider stirrups. The funny thing is usually my ankle doesn’t hurt when riding…but dismounting makes me want to cringe. This time there is some discomfort. So I’ll see what i can do.

i do have the heel stretcher and try to remember to work on it during the day. It’s just walking that can be really uncomfortable.

Besides PT (covered by insurance), I’m thinking of possibly getting accupuncture too. I just need to find the right person to do it.

Thanks for your support!

[jawa]

BBTB, if your horse trailer fender can be used as a mounting block, use it for dismounting as well. I have trained mine to stand beside the trailer for mounting and dismounting. This will take some of the stress off the dismounting.

[whicker]

Jawa brings up a great point about the trailer fender. My fender is too narrow for me to use, so I’m thinking about some sort of hinged device to cantalever out. I think there is something like that in RV or truck accessories.

Or you could follow Alexander the Great’s example and teach your horses to kneel for mounting…:winkgrin:

[TimelyImpulse]

That stinks BBTB! Hope you get some relief and can get back out soon!

[wateryglen]

nurse weighs in here!

Wear only good flat shock absorbing shoes for a few weeks…like sneakers. Aim to reduce concussion in all areas of movement.
Lengthen stirrups to very long while hacking/riding. Get thee some of those expensive flexible stirrup irons.
As others said - mounting block coming & going! Duh!
Take your NSAIDS AROUND THE CLOCK. They work best that way. Anything wrong with you with the word “itis” needs nsaids! Try icing after exertion too. Stay off it when you can. Use a cane on the opposite side of the injured limb. Canes can “unweight” a limb as much as 10-15% and are a good thing! (Plus you get mucho sympathy! :winkgrin:) Ace wrap your ankle bigtime before riding. Like a soft cast!
Then when all is said and done…Quit yer whining! Take your pills, shut up and ride!! :winkgrin::D:lol::yes:

[wateryglen]

oh forgot to say…

Oh…yeah…and wash those nsaids down with Lemoncello!!! :winkgrin::eek::uhoh::uhoh::uhoh:

Works for me! :yes:

[Doctracy]

I just got around to reading this. I agree on the flexible stirrups and longer length, they also help the knees and back. Of course, mounting block, I can’t even get on my guy without. In the field I have to find a hole, rock or stump.
After your first few weeks of high dose NSAIDS, ask about Voltaren gel. I use it and prescribe it to some of my patients. I first found this stuff out of country before we had it in the US. Great for the smaller joints like wrists, elbows, knees, ankles and hands.
Hope you’re doing better!

[lalahartma1]

I have to disagree about the flexible stirrups! They are what helped to injure me!!!

[bigbaytb]

eek…ok, so i’ll just hilltop today (which is hard since we’ll be going to one of my favorite areas).

I was at the tack shop yesterday, I found the only jointed stirrups in the sale section. A very nice italian made pair, @50% too (love deals). these don’t have a huge amount of movement like others I have tried…so I may try those today…but now am weary too.

Oh, my horses are used to mounting blocks (especially the 17hh tb). At the barn, we have a concrete mounting block and I do dismount there.

I’ll ask my doc about voltaren. I hate to keep taking the nsaids.

Its been feeling better but am being careful.

[mortebella]

got any advice?

I had a HORRIBLE round with biceps tendonitis last year, which turned into adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) and then into a rotator cuff tear. Ultrasound finally helped some, but I’m a long way from pain free, although I can finally deal. To my horror, I’ve got pain in the other shoulder now - and I’m way too maxed out on PT bills. NSAIDS don’t cut the pain. I haven’t lost mobility yet, but that ache is there. Voltaren gel was never effective for the big shoulder joint. Anybody got any thoughts?

Sorry, didn’t mean to hijack this - Should I delete and spin off? (blush)

[HunttoLive]

Steel shanked boots are your friend. One of the reasons I wear the Mountain Horse boots is the steel shank. My “paddock” boots are actually a Red Wing work boot that as a smooth sole. The Red Wing boots are cheaper than all the fancy paddock boots and are a hell of lot more durable.

[bigbaytb]

i lived

Ok, so i just hilltopped today. Some times I had to use the martingale to help offsett my sore ankle, but we did well, and had my ankle wrapped, nsaids, but didn’t have time to put my new stirrups on. overall we had a great day for a hunt…and I did sneak in on jump that just felt great!

I do agree a boot with more support will probably help more, as my schooling shoes have a steel shank. I’ve been waiting for my new boots to come in and that should help.

Mortabella. My PT is as follows (and is a huge help): start with heat, then therapeutic ultrasound. then some excersized that include stretching and strength, then finish with cold and electrodes to stimulate the muscle. It really does help. Hopefully you can find similiar success.

[Wheel_Whip]

I have “itis” in just about every tendon. For the feet, ankles, I soak a cotton tube sock in Sore No More, cover with plastic, leave on overnight. Voltran (sp?)= Surpass. Careful if you use both Surpass and oral anti inflams. I feel your pain!