Does anyone else suffer with bad knees??

[Spot_the_Risk]

I've had a knee problem for over 20 years, and had an arthroscopy in March, it has made a positive difference even this quickly (it is of course still repairing - it can take up to a year!).

I've only ridden three times since the op, the first time was 4 weeks after, and I had to forego using stirrups, the 'twist' on the knee was uncomfortable, the second time was fine, just walk. Today we had a saddle fitting, so hacked for 30 minutes to get there, tried saddles in the school, then hacked home again with a fab gallop, no knee pain and no problems later on in the day either!

Don't do what I did though, waiting 20 years to get it sorted is a waste of your life!

 

[gothdolly]

I started having problems with my knees last year although I have had several cartilidge injuries due to riding accidents as a teenager. last year my knees started to swell up and get hot and very painful after riding. Driving was awful. I stopped riding and covered my knees in ibuprofen gel

I think my doctor said it was bursitis? But I have just started riding regularly again and I can feel pain in my knees again. Also my hip/lower back.

I went to the doctor recently because my mum had a riding accident and really hurt her back, had an x-ray and found out she has spina bifida occulta! Which is an unseen form of spinabifida. Which accounts for all her back pain all her life. Not that its stopped her doing anything

I asked him if I might have spina bifida occulta like mum does but he was very vague and didnt say much. We think my son has hyper mobility syndrome as he easily dislocates his joints ... not that any medical professionals have told us that - each time they just say that little kids have loose joints and not to worry.

Im worried about my knees, I had put it down to increasing age but am so relieved to find others in the same boat.

i wondered whether riding longer or even without stirrups or in a dressage saddle might help?? What do you think?

Cassandra xxx

 

[YorksG]

I have had painful knees for over 30 years, had loads of investigations as a teenager, was told I would grow out of it and not to ride. I still rode and never did grow out of it. Was then diagnosed with serum negative rheumatoid arthritis in my 30's. They go in phases and the left one was injured when a horse landed on it. This is the worst one now and I made it flare up recently climbing on board a 16:2 from the ground. I don't normaly get on my 15:3 without at least a step! I realy should know better

 

[minmax]

I have, I've got hyper mobility so my joints as a rule hurt most of the time. My knee's, ankles and shoulders dislocate when they feel like it. Not fun!
I need to keep them toned to stop it happening, not really possible just lately as been off riding with a bad back for the last 3 months!
Try magnets?