Foot pain and stirrups

[Gloi]

I've recently had cuboid syndrome which hopefully is resolved. However I have a lot of pain down the outside of my foot and underneath toes 4+5 . I can walk a bit better than I've been able to recently but putting weight in a stirrup is agony. I need to mount from the off side or something high enough to cock my leg over. I got on normally last week and it took 2 days for my foot to settle down again.
I can pootle about in walk but trotting is painful. I hacked for an hour yesterday with someone and we were meant to be walking but got to a hill and it was "oh he always trots up hills" and shot off and so I went with it as the easiest option. Then had to do the rest of the ride with no weight in that foot and it's still sore today.

I'm going to try some sort of endurance stirrup with the wide padded tread but not sure what to buy. I don't want to spend a fortune and find they don't help.

I've had a couple of private physio appointments recently and an NHS one has come through for next Thursday so I'll see if I get anywhere with that.

Spring is hopefully coming and I want to be able to ride out without too much pain

 

[southerncomfort]

Can't help with stirrups, but since my foot injury I've been riding in my walking boots.

They're the same width as my riding boots so safe to ride in, but much more supportive.

Hope the pain eases off for you very soon.

 

[Maddie Moo]

What about something like this that you can add into your current stirrups and adding in your own foam padding? It will probably be cheaper and then you can pick how much padding you add in it.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

I have nasty arthritis in my foot and the stirrups that are the most comfortable for me are the acavallo opera. I can jump in them as well. Keeps my foot stable and pain free by spreading the load.

 

[Gloi]

Can't help with stirrups, but since my foot injury I've been riding in my walking boots.

They're the same width as my riding boots so safe to ride in, but much more supportive.

Hope the pain eases off for you very soon.

Sadly I've been riding in my walking boots for 10 years now and I agree they help.
I'm looking at the wide tread endurance flex stirrups but not sure if they'll help.

 

[Gloi]

I have nasty arthritis in my foot and the stirrups that are the most comfortable for me are the acavallo opera. I can jump in them as well. Keeps my foot stable and pain free by spreading the load.

I'll take a look

 

[Gloi]

What about something like this that you can add into your current stirrups and adding in your own foam padding? It will probably be cheaper and then you can pick how much padding you add in it.

View attachment 135905

Sadly they won't work with my current stirrups but I've been looking at the caged ones

 

[Fransurrey]

I struggled with luxating cuboid for ages. Sympathies. It's enough to make you want to chew your own ear off. I bought wide tread suspension stirrups (Sprenger style, but mine were cheapo generics), which helped. I then won a set of Smartrider Safety stirrups which although aren't suspension have been very comfortable. I still use the same stirrups now, some 10 years later! I think they're quite ugly, but I forgive them for being comfy and also doubling as a mounting aid if you have to get off when out and about! They're on offer, here. I assume you've had the manipulation done to put the cuboid back in place (assuming it's luxated!)? I also learned how to manipulate it myself and taped it using physio tape, which helped enormously!!

SmartRider Breakaway Stirrups ADULT | TRANSCEND

Selling out fast Safety Stirrups for English and Western saddlesSmartRider UK’s Escape breakaway safety stirrups come in 8 colours and can be used for both English and Western saddles. Sorry No Brown Sorry No Black NOTE: When purchasing stirrups, if you are purchasing more than 1 pair, please...

www.transcendbitlessbridle.com

 

[Flame_]

I have the compositi wide tread flexible footbed stirrups and find them generally comfortable. They're not expensive kit.

 

[holeymoley]

Could you try Sprengers? I have ones that flex. Helped with my hips so may help with feet by stopping them from being forced in to the same position for the duration of ride.

 

[Skib]

Sprenger genuine are firmer and more stable than look alike. I tried look alike in a different size and in the end bought more Sprenger

 

[Gloi]

I struggled with luxating cuboid for ages. Sympathies. It's enough to make you want to chew your own ear off. I bought wide tread suspension stirrups (Sprenger style, but mine were cheapo generics), which helped. I then won a set of Smartrider Safety stirrups which although aren't suspension have been very comfortable. I still use the same stirrups now, some 10 years later! I think they're quite ugly, but I forgive them for being comfy and also doubling as a mounting aid if you have to get off when out and about! They're on offer, here. I assume you've had the manipulation done to put the cuboid back in place (assuming it's luxated!)? I also learned how to manipulate it myself and taped it using physio tape, which helped enormously!!

SmartRider Breakaway Stirrups ADULT | TRANSCEND

Selling out fast Safety Stirrups for English and Western saddlesSmartRider UK’s Escape breakaway safety stirrups come in 8 colours and can be used for both English and Western saddles. Sorry No Brown Sorry No Black NOTE: When purchasing stirrups, if you are purchasing more than 1 pair, please...

www.transcendbitlessbridle.com

Thank you, I hadn't had any sense from the doctor and it was only when it painfully clunked back into place as I climbed a step that I found what was wrong. I have some tape so I'll follow those instructions. It's bearable but sore under my foot now but putting my foot on the stirrup is extremely painful
I've just been to the saddler's but they didn't have anything suitable so I'll be back on the Internet looking later today.

 

[Tiddlypom]

We’re having a major house clear out and recently I came across an unused pair of endurance caged stirrups.

If I can just find the dang things again I’ll pop up a pic and see if they are what you are after. I can pop them in the post for you to try out if so on long term loan.

ETA Unbranded composite endurance stirrups. I don’t tend to buy cheap and cheerful, so they are likely to be of a decent quality.

Footbed is generous, 14cm wide and 10cm deep. Plenty of space for my size 9s. Weight is 800g for the pair.

ETA 2 The box they are in has ‘Performance Equestrian’ on it, who was/is a supplier of endurance equipment.

 

[Kaylum]

Have you also looked at wider leathers to make the stirrups more stable. Also can you reposition the stirrup bar.

 

[Gloi]

Have you also looked at wider leathers to make the stirrups more stable. Also can you reposition the stirrup bar.

Stability doesn't really matter, it's the pressure on a small area that needs spreading out

 

[Gloi]

We’re having a major house clear out and recently I came across an unused pair of endurance caged stirrups.

If I can just find the dang things again I’ll pop up a pic and see if they are what you are after. I can pop them in the post for you to try out if so on long term loan.

ETA Unbranded composite endurance stirrups. I don’t tend to buy cheap and cheerful, so they are likely to be of a decent quality.

Footbed is generous, 14cm wide and 10cm deep. Plenty of space for my size 9s. Weight is 800g for the pair.

ETA 2 The box they are in has ‘Performance Equestrian’ on it, who was/is a supplier of endurance equipment.

View attachment 135987


View attachment 135988


View attachment 135989

I'd been looking at ones like these on the Internet wondering about them . How much are you asking for them ?

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'd been looking at ones like these on the Internet wondering about them . How much are you asking for them ?

Nothing, I’m happy to loan them to you so that you can suss them out . I can pop them in the post.

I’ve no idea how much I paid for them anyway .

 

[Gloi]

Nothing, I’m happy to loan them to you so that you can suss them out . I can pop them in the post.

I’ve no idea how much I paid for them anyway .

That's fab. I'll message you

 

[Identityincrisis]

I don’t know if sprengers are the solution but i have a pair gathering dust for years, if you want them I will give them to you for the price of postage, just let me know

 

[Gloi]

I don’t know if sprengers are the solution but i have a pair gathering dust for years, if you want them I will give them to you for the price of postage, just let me know

Thank you very much. I have just messaged Tiddlypom about hers, would it be greedy to try both and see which work best, I'll message you.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The more different types of stirrup you can try, the better .

Hope that you find something that works for you. Happy to help.

 

[Gloi]

The more different types of stirrup you can try, the better .

Hope that you find something that works for you. Happy to help.

Thank you, it's driving me mad. I'm seeing the NHS physio on Thursday and hope they have some useful suggestions.
Such a small thing causes such problems we're meant to be going on holiday with the horses again in June for a week but I'll have to be a lot better than this or I won't cope and pony will be unfit.

 

[Fransurrey]

Thank you, I hadn't had any sense from the doctor and it was only when it painfully clunked back into place as I climbed a step that I found what was wrong. I have some tape so I'll follow those instructions. It's bearable but sore under my foot now but putting my foot on the stirrup is extremely painful
I've just been to the saddler's but they didn't have anything suitable so I'll be back on the Internet looking later today.

You need someone who knows how to perform the manipulation. I asked for a referral to a podiatrist. At the time I had private healthcare, but you may want to go private for this to save time. It's about physio prices. They stand you on one leg, hold the bad foot and perform a violent flicking motion. The podiatrist at one point did the steroid injections which was absolutely excruciating and made mine worse. Not sure what the success rate is, but I do not recommend that!! I was also given custom orthotics, but I hated them. When it settled I strengthened it by swimming and used off the shelf spongy orthotics instead. I don't use anything, now, but I do run quite a bit which maintains the strength. I do feel for you. It made me utterly miserable for about a year!

 

[maya2008]

I haven’t managed to dislocate my toes since switching to Acavallo Alupro stirrups. Not cheap though!

In general, I would recommend sitting trot and not jumping for now. When my toes were particularly bad I just used to ride without stirrups, or sort of float my feet in them so they were there if a buck or spook came but barely any pressure otherwise. Ponies never had an issue with me sitting for trot.

 

[sbloom]

Stability doesn't really matter, it's the pressure on a small area that needs spreading out

Don't rule out other aspects that might help. Even putting a square of yoga mat under the big toe ball joint if it lifts off the stirrup helps people loads, right up through the body. We just don't know half of it....yet.

The more different types of stirrup you can try, the better .

Hope that you find something that works for you. Happy to help.

Yep, they're all expensive, and we don't yet fully understand why some stirrups work better for some than others, so borrowing many is helpful. For anyone who just wants more "regular" comfort or stability I will generally recommend against hinged treads. If they're the only thing you can find to relieve pain then of course use them, but it's highly likely that the saddle and possibly leathers being right would correct the problem at source. Plus bodywork and off horse strengthening work of course.

 

[Gloi]

Don't rule out other aspects that might help. Even putting a square of yoga mat under the big toe ball joint if it lifts off the stirrup helps people loads, right up through the body. We just don't know half of it....yet.



Yep, they're all expensive, and we don't yet fully understand why some stirrups work better for some than others, so borrowing many is helpful. For anyone who just wants more "regular" comfort or stability I will generally recommend against hinged treads. If they're the only thing you can find to relieve pain then of course use them, but it's highly likely that the saddle and possibly leathers being right would correct the problem at source. Plus bodywork and off horse strengthening work of course.

I'm going towards the large area footplate stirrup rather than hinged treads because I feel I need to spread the weight over as much of my sole as I can There is one area in particular that is very sensitive to pressure. I might cover it with sorbothane too to see if that helps I'm hoping I can find a solution. I'm off to the physio on Thursday so I hope I can get ideas there too.

 

[Fransurrey]

When my toes were particularly bad I just used to ride without stirrups, or sort of float my feet in them so they were there if a buck or spook came but barely any pressure otherwise. Ponies never had an issue with me sitting for trot.

This reminds me that when mine was bad, I used to cock my knee over the front of the saddle and just let the leg hang in front of the flap, like I was midway between side saddle and astride! Luckily pony was sane and sensible.

 

[Gloi]

You need someone who knows how to perform the manipulation. I asked for a referral to a podiatrist. At the time I had private healthcare, but you may want to go private for this to save time. It's about physio prices. They stand you on one leg, hold the bad foot and perform a violent flicking motion. The podiatrist at one point did the steroid injections which was absolutely excruciating and made mine worse. Not sure what the success rate is, but I do not recommend that!! I was also given custom orthotics, but I hated them. When it settled I strengthened it by swimming and used off the shelf spongy orthotics instead. I don't use anything, now, but I do run quite a bit which maintains the strength. I do feel for you. It made me utterly miserable for about a year!

It is back in place but the whole area is painful. It was out for about two months and I stepped up my doorstep carrying shopping and I felt the bone crunch and with a lot of pain it was back in place. I've been to doctor and private physio. Got NHS physio on Thursday. I also have long term tendinopathy on the same foot which doesn't help. Feel for you if you had it for a year. I currently have kinesiology tape on it.

 

[sbloom]

I'm going towards the large area footplate stirrup rather than hinged treads because I feel I need to spread the weight over as much of my sole as I can There is one area in particular that is very sensitive to pressure. I might cover it with sorbothane too to see if that helps I'm hoping I can find a solution. I'm off to the physio on Thursday so I hope I can get ideas there too.

Thinline do a stirrup tread cover too. And yes agreed that a wider tread is going to be a good idea, but to be honest that's true of most people, it helps stability etc even if they don't have the pain. Tendinopathy probably related.

 

[dorsetladette]

HM wide tread stirrup irons

HM wide-tread stirrup irons, providing a comfortable and stable base for your foot. The design of the stirrup iron allows it to hang facing forwards, allowing the rider to easily regain their stirrup if they lose it. Ideal for any saddle.

www.hmsaddles.com

What about these? I hate them as I get really bad cramp in them, but my friend absolutely loves them. She has issues with the soles of her feet and finds the larger area really helps. I think I push my heels to far down so I'm not using the whole surface area.