anyone got dodgy knees after many years riding?

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whiteclover

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Ive been riding for about 10 years now but my knees have gone. I cant trot for long without having to take my feet out of the stirrups due to knee ache. Hunting is agony too. Ive now given up riding due to other reasons.

I just wondered if this is a common ailment with horse riding.
 
I have lots of problems with my joints. My knees used to go stiff but I invested in a pair of springy stirrups and they seem to have helped alot. I do have problems with my knees as they sublux (partially dislocate) but this is due to hypermobility syndrome. In my case I have specialist physio to help strengthen the right muscles and tendons to help keep them in place. Aparantly the problems I suffer with my knees is common in runners.
 
Try riding in Sprenger stirrups. I have knackered the ligaments in my knees and can't ride in normal stirrups. Sprengers mean I can..
 
yes my knees hurt a lot when riding and lock even with flexi stirrups they are bad but the flexi stirrups help my ankles a lot but they still hurt from riding and my hips pop out sometimes... im only 18 i dont have much hope :o so its a dose of pain killers and knee and ankle supports for me while riding :o but i still love it so its fine :)
 
i had terrible pain in my knee and tried everything ,- knee supports, springy stirrups ,etc -only when i had surgery for a slipped disc did my knee pain suddenly go.. turns out it was sciatic pain!
 
yup me too didnt have knee pain at any other time other than riding-and it was agony!
next time you ride put some ibuprofen gel all over your lower back around your spine about 10 mins before you get on and see if it helps-if it does you have your answer!
 
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I've ridden once this year (since last October) due to pain in my knees.

Have had xrays which show there is now no cartilidge and it is just bone rubbing on bone.

Waiting for knee replacements now (want HOYS out of the way first!)

I've been riding since I was about 5 years old, but also did a lot of sport (mainly tennis) and lots of dancing (ballet, tap etc). So not sure what to blame it on, to be honest.

The physio has given me some excellent exercises to strengthen my quads again (which had become very weak) and although not riding, I am at least able to go up an down stairs again, albeit it holding on to the rail.

Worth going to the doctor and seeing if they can investigate if there is a problem. Depends on your age as to what they will do for you!
 
Yes, my right knee gives way a lot and I cant kneel on it or stoop and put alot of weight on it or it gives way!

Only noticed it in the last year or so, I've been riding 19 years :confused: it's fine to walk on/ride just when I put a lot of weight on it!
 
Springy stirrups are good.

Also a lot of knee pain is caused by your foot arches starting to collapse. Get a gait analysis (at a sports shop) or just try a pair of inserts. Everyone's foot arches go eventually and if you have worn shoes without good support then they go quicker. Long term also helps the hips.

Riding Helps my knees, if I stop riding the muscles around the knee aren't so strong and then they start to ache!
 
If its any consolation I see loads of people who have destroyed their knees by doing no exercise at all. Exercise (as opposed to injury) is good for the joints. I'm also a fan of springy stirrups.

Paula
 
My knee ligaments are a bit wrecked, doesn't effect me riding, more when I kneel occasionally its like I've knelt on a piece of glass. Worse on right knee after getting booted in the kneecap years ago. Not suprising really, they basically do the same job as car suspension whenever you jump so quite impressed at the fact mine aren't too bad. Tbh, even if they were agony I'd carry on!
 
Yep I have bad knees too but as Paula says I did find after a while rising trot etc seemed to help strengthen them :-) defo going to get some springy stirrups. I find they give way when I am about to sit down and are extra bad at the moment now as I havent done much exercise except walking to see the horse while I have a bad arm.

Would be interested what sort of physio exercises would help, I know swimming helps but can't do that either for a while!
 
another huge vote for the springy Sprenger stirrups, they are ace. I have one very dodgy knee (rebuilt twice) but the other is fine so far, I'm very lucky that they're okay I guess. Probably couldn't ride super-short any more but so be it. Certain ways of putting my lower leg on really hurt the dodgy knee, but I have to find other ways that aren't so painful.
 
Yup mine are knackered, I do have dodgy knees anyway have done since i was about 10. Something to do with the ligaments I think the physio said. Never used to affect me riding much untill the past couple of years. Now if i'm riding for a couple of hours especially hunting as I have my stirrups shorter, I get off and actually can't walk it's so painful. Same for, jumping so I do tend to ride longer than I should just so it's not so painful. Can get in some days and just want to cry it hurts so much no painkillers stop it either can go on for a couple of days sometimes. Springy stirrups don't work for me or didn't the last time I tried them when knees weren't as bad, so may give them another go seen as so many on here seem to have success.

Also can't crouch down and kneeling is agony quite often nearly get stuck if I kneel down as it's so painful trying to get up again. Even walking they hurt and going up stair/hills or uneven ground is horrible. Did break one knee in a car crash a couple of years ago which made it worse as well, after which I couldn't for about a year which was difficult when it came to showing classes! Am only 21 so god knows what I'll be like when I'm older!
 
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