Does anyone ride with a slipped disc?

[tangoharvey]

I mean the rider, not the horse

I have a slipped disc and recently started riding again, my one leg feels weaker than the other and getting of is a disaster ( i may needa parachute)

Just wondered how others cope?

 

[sidesaddlegirl]

I wear a corset! My back was bad the other week right before my dressage test so I wore my corset all week even during my test. I also use a mounting block and let my OH carry heavy feedbags.

I also make sure NEVER bend from the waist to pick something up but bendfrom the knees.

 

[The_snoopster]

I don,t have a slipped disc but suffer with sciatica quite alot, i also have one weak leg which shakes and twitches sometimes. Luckily for me the pain is bearable whilst riding but the only way i could help with the twitches was too play around with my stirrup length on that leg. Although it still shakes a little i found by having it one hole down from the other side it helps. My horse is now used to my shaking leg as we did do quite a bit if jogging sideways but she totally ignores it now. Plus i take my painkillers before i go for a long ride i prefer this option to the op i have been offered to have the nerve done. Good luck with yours.

 

[Three]

When I started riding again after bursting a disc I couldn't feel my left leg from the knee down and had pins & needles in the back of my left thigh.

Eventually my physio tried accupuncture - absolutely marvelous, feeling returned after one session.

Hope yours feels better soon.

 

[black_horse]

i had 3 prolapsed disks one leaned ona nerve which was uncomfortable, i road in a corset back brace and had physio and traction.

 

[spaniel]

I slipped mine last year and still have an area on one thigh which goes numb when I ride. I did find however that riding actually helped keep my lower back strong and supple once the disc was back in the right place. It was about 6 months until I could ride after the initial slip.

 

[Irishcobs]

I ruptured a disc and bulged 3 others about 3 years ago. I couldn't sit or lie on my side at all but I could ride. It didn't hurt as much when I was riding.
I have a weaker right leg now and still get pain and pins and needles in my leg.

 

[Chestnutmare]

I still suffer from sciatica from prolapsing me disk a few yrs ago i still get terrible pains and then whole of my left leg goes numb but i just deal with it....riding with it can sometimes jar my back if horse tends to buck or spook unexpectidly or something but I am not allowed to lift heavy things anymore my OH does all this for me alawise i'm laid up for a bit...hmm? nah i'm never laid up can't keep me away from all the poo and mud for anything LOL

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

i have a compressed disc and one leg is numb from the knee down! been for one hack in 6 weeks and was like riding for the disabled!! but doing my exercises and progressing! hope to be back to normal soon! (been 6 weeks now!!) god bless the chiropractors and acupuncturists! but still have the liquid morphine in case! the hunters think they are at butlins!!!!

 

[Chellebean]

I'm another one for the list!! I found it hard getting on and lucky the boy i was riding was kind and put up with my dismounts (they were rather slow)

I started getting on from the right side as my left leg couldnt reach half the time! my left leg was weaker, but one thing my slipped nerve did... was trap the nerve so well that my left leg would give way from underneath me! I had to be very careful with that, as really didnt fancy letting it happen when riding

All I have to say, is be careful and listen to your body! I am now currently recovering from surgery! so riding is out of the question for another couple of weeks! Can't wait to get back on board!!!

 

[Witchy]

OMG there are others out there! HURRAH!!! I burst my disc two years ago which left me dead from the waist down, I couldn't feel anything and didn't know when I wanted a wee until I was really busting, only then could I feel it.

I was only allowed to lay or stand, not allowed to sit and was on loads of tablets. I was off work for 9 weeks with the threat of an operation hanging over me.

Luckily, my disc healed itself and talking to the doctor I was prescribed horse riding. We discussed gyms etc but I hate them and I confessed to loving horses etc and that was that.

I found myself a horse to have lessons on and then shared him. It wasn't enough for me so then bought Joe.

I still have a very weak right leg and tend to sit on my left seat bone more to compensate. I am a crap rider but love my horse and we keep each other fit, well... sort of

 

[tangoharvey]

thanks everyone! chellebean, my leg gives way on me now and again,(said no to surgery as too scared!) - its the dismount i have most problem with, getting off a 16.1 horse with a weak leg - apparently it is you tube material as its hilarious to watch (!) However thanks all I shall perservere and hopefully, me and my new horse can build muscle together!

 

[kellyeaton]

i slipped my disc a few weeks a go and i will not be riding for a least another week i just tell my self one slight wrong move and it is back to square one more time off and loads more pain killers!

 

[soloequestrian]

As Chellebean - two weeks post-surgery now! It's all quite sore but I can do the same as I did just before the operation - hope (pray) it will all get better from here. My left leg was getting quite weak and although I could still ride reasonably well, if I did for any length of time I couldn't walk properly the next day.

 

[Dolcé]

I was riding daily 3-4 hours whilst off work with 2 prolapsed discs, this sounds awful but I used to sort of slither down poor Michaels neck to get off, 16.2 and heavy built lad! Dismounting was the only thing I had a problem with, just used to pop a load of tablets before we went out to control the pain. I was interested to see horseriding prescribed, I was told that unless I wanted to suffer for ever I should never ride again!! Just goes to show that they doctors) make it up as they go along, my injury was caused by a fall in the garden but they pounced on the riding and blamed the problem on that. Good luck with it and hope all those suffering recover quickly and get back to a pain free life.