Not too sure where to put this but since I ride hunter jumpers I figured I would try here.
Over the last year I have had some pretty serious muscle pain/tightness in my lower to mid back every time I ride. It is definitely muscular and not actual spinal pain. I have tried doing back/core strengthening exercises to no avail. It mostly happens at the posting trot. Does not matter what saddle/horse I ride. Does anyone have any suggestions or has had similar experiences? I always try to stretch but that does not seem to help.
Tight hamstrings do a number on the lower back, which can easily travel up the back muscles.
What “back/core strengthening exercises” have you done, and for how long?
It’s also entirely possible you are much too stiff in your posting, relying on your back to do the work, instead of allowing the motion of the horse to assist you. You might also be posting too vertically - posting should be a lot more “belly button towards the ears” motion, than up and down.
Ditto hamstrings, you probably are standing on your toes instead of actually letting your heel carry the weight. That forces your lower back to carry it plus initiate the posting motion. Your abs/core can’t do it if your weight is not in your heels regardless of their strength.
When I finally understood this and did it correctly, the sorest spot after a ride was the top of my hamstrings and butt. Never underestimate the value of a good chiropractor who is also a rider with other family members who ride.
[QUOTE=hunterprincez;8616470]
Not too sure where to put this but since I ride hunter jumpers I figured I would try here.
Over the last year I have had some pretty serious muscle pain/tightness in my lower to mid back every time I ride. It is definitely muscular and not actual spinal pain. I have tried doing back/core strengthening exercises to no avail. It mostly happens at the posting trot. Does not matter what saddle/horse I ride. Does anyone have any suggestions or has had similar experiences? I always try to stretch but that does not seem to help.[/QUOTE]
Following because I have the exact same problem, but in my case would definitely disagree with the hamstring comment, I assure you that my heels stay very, very down when I ride, I think its more of a problem of getting too stiff in other areas of my body.
[QUOTE=HP’sblueskyenterprise;8616747]
Following because I have the exact same problem, but in my case would definitely disagree with the hamstring comment, I assure you that my heels stay very, very down when I ride, I think its more of a problem of getting too stiff in other areas of my body.[/QUOTE]
I also have no problem keeping my heels down. My hammies are actually quite stretchy. I do quite a bit of yoga and Piyo to help keep things limber. I have tried to stop and think about what my position is doing when the stiffness/pain starts while I am riding and so far my trainer nor myself can see anything that has changed. I have been riding since I was 7 and I am now 35. As for the core/back strengthening exercises I do quite a few moves but have no idea what exactly they are called. Some that I do know are crunches, bicycles, planks, mtn. climbers, superman and whatever other torturous creations my exercise coaches come up with that day in class. My back is actually one of my stronger areas. My only thought so far is that my core/abdomen is not as strong as my back thus more strain is put on my back muscles when riding.
I would guess it is from tipping forward or being pulled forward by your horse. Its that time of year when everyone starts ramping up their riding for show season. If you’re riding with your shoulders ahead of your hips, your back turns into a great big lever with your hips as the pivot. The leverage through your lower back increases as you get farther forward.
When I ramp up too fast, I get slapped with sciatica in a heartbeat. It happened every year when I rode a horse that was strong in the bridle (understatement) It happens much less with my current horse who’s a bit of a push ride.
Some people can get an extremely low heel using just lower leg muscles without achieving that line from ear to hip to heel indicating proper support in the lower leg/heel. Working in the half seat helps-that’s sitting in the tack and barely lightening the seat by closing the hip angle slightly as opposed to pushing off the foot. Try it, sucks-it’s hard.
google psoas soreness. Its a muscle that runs from the front (near the pelvic bones), it often masks itself as lower back pain (ask me how I know) and can often be the culprit. My psoas grabs too much and impacts my low back and hamstrings. There ares specific exercises you can do to help the psoas, some of the best being the most simple. You can also have it massaged by an expert in abdominal massage, it will hurt like hell but really help if that’s what it is.
[QUOTE=HP’sblueskyenterprise;8616747]
Following because I have the exact same problem, but in my case would definitely disagree with the hamstring comment, I assure you that my heels stay very, very down when I ride, I think its more of a problem of getting too stiff in other areas of my body.[/QUOTE]
“very very down” often leads to stiff ankles, which makes inappropriate tension travel up the whole body.
Farther down isn’t always better, and often leads to negative side effects.
It’s pretty difficult to get a back that’s stronger than your your front. If the front of the core isn’t strong enough, the back of the core will take over in ways it shouldn’t - too much lower back, too much mid-back, etc. There’s a difference between stronger, and doing more, inappropriate work, if that makes sense.
It’s good that you’re doing the exercises you listed, those are good ones, including the Superman. But there’s more to a functionally strong core than just doing “core” exercises. it has to involve functional movement that makes you “engage the cage”, so not only do you strengthen 360* from hips to armpits, you do it in a way that incorporates movement that transfers to what you do the rest of your day.
I suffer from the tight psoas on my right and back pain there also. One thing that has made a difference was an unmounted part of a dressage lesson where I discovered that I start the up part of my post by tightening the right side of my butt. I knelt on the ground in the arena (on a horse blanket) and practiced “posting” by engaging my quads and not my butt.
I’ve been quite sore in that area lately so plan on practicing again while watching TV in the evenings.
Another vote for psoas. I injured mine and had all kinds of back pain until I finally found a good therapist. Rolfing helped me a lot but I had an actual injury, you might not need that.
Ditto others’ suggestions to investigate the psoas. My right side is especially tight and is the root cause of a variety of muscle and nerve issues in my lower back, hip, and upper leg. I worked with a physical therapist to massage the muscle. I second the warning above, also: you will not enjoy the “massage” while it is happening but it is worth it.
Just offering another perspective… do you spend a lot of time working at a computer?
I had pretty sharp pain in my lower mid-back (just below the ribs) that was pronounced when I rode with properly shortened reins, holding my hands lifted and forward where they’re supposed be. I compensated for this pain by riding with longer reins and hands down near to the withers, which is not “proper.” I sit at a desk on a laptop all day plus a lot of time looking at my phone which over time leads to rounded shoulders and shortened/tight chest muscles—my scapula were winging out rather than laying flat. Lifting your hands from that position causes some strain after a few seconds.
I saw a chiropractor who does massage simultaneously and it was a miraculous fix. I could pull my shoulders back with ease and hold my hands in the proper position without pain (I actually need to go back because I haven’t been good about working at my posture through things like yoga and stretching).
I started physical therapy on my lower back about two months ago and it has been a GAMECHANGER! I can’t believe how good it feels and moves. Best it has been in years, maybe ever. A lot of the exercises they have me do are the same or very similar to what I was already doing on my own, but my therapist showed me how to do a lot of them more correctly and it made a huge difference. Definitely talk to your doctor about it!
Wild—I’m always so perplexed by those who resurrect zombie threads, but in this case it looks like that person was me! It was the “front page” when I last visited the forum.
