Pictures Fractured vertebrae following fall

[Hector107]

Hi All

Took a tumble from my boy nearly five weeks ago in the school and landed sitting bolt upright, managing to sustain a compression fracture of my L3. Sent home from hospital with a back brace to wear for five weeks.

Was wondering if anyone has suffered a similar injury and how long it took them to heal and for the pain to go, and start doing meaningful stuff down the yard/riding again. I’m normally a really active person and finding the lying around incredibly difficult mentally.

Any words of wisdom and experience would be really greatly appreciated.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Morning...me..crushed quite a few vertebrae..in hospital for a month lying flat and then up and about in deeply unglamorous corset. 3 months of corset so that bone could harden. How long it takes to get back to doing what you want will be governed by you and how you feel. I do everything I want to but in cold damp weather my spine aches..or if I have a virus. I think you need to keep core strength and muscle tone to help..in fact consultant said it was because I was a rider with strong muscle that the injury wasn’t worse.

 

[Double_choc_lab]

Yep me. Also fell in a sitting position onto my bum and fractured and compressed L2 some 4and a half years ago. Not helped by the fact I was mid 50s at the time. Body brace for 3 months. Must admit didn't ride for a few years but once we got a Connie you couldn't stop me. No particular pain either during or after riding. I did quite a bit of swimming after 3 months but also did a lot of my physio in water as I found this helped greatly. Time and patience I think. Good luck with the brace as hateful as it is I do think it is an "must do".

Still did a few things around the yard in the brace, just hd to bend my knees a lot. Also managed to cook roast dinners by dropping to my knees and walking across the floor on my knees to save bending. Where there's a will .....

 

[blodwyn1]

I had compression fractures of t5,6,7and8. I didn't need to wear a brace as my rib cage would act as one. I went to ride on a simulator first and then back on my quiet pony after 6 months. The pain was the worst back pain I have ever experienced and only naproxen touched it.i am old with diabetes so healing was slow.

 

[Birker2020]

Hi All

Took a tumble from my boy nearly five weeks ago in the school and landed sitting bolt upright, managing to sustain a compression fracture of my L3. Sent home from hospital with a back brace to wear for five weeks.

Was wondering if anyone has suffered a similar injury and how long it took them to heal and for the pain to go, and start doing meaningful stuff down the yard/riding again. I’m normally a really active person and finding the lying around incredibly difficult mentally.

Any words of wisdom and experience would be really greatly appreciated.

My words of wisdom would be to enroll on some physio once you are out of the acute phase if the hospital suggest this. I would also suggest thinking about doing pilates (again on doctors advice) as this will really help with the tension in your muscles, which will also no doubt be damaged by overcompensating. I didn't have anything as drastic as a break but had a large prolapsed disc L5/S1 and wish I had done physio, but when they called me in for it I was still in the acute phase and couldn't do anything due to the pain. They suggested I make a follow up appointment when I wasn't in so much pain, but unfortunately I never took them on this. I have sciatica, probably would have had that anyway but not as bad if I'd done physio at the time and got realigned, if that makes sense. I have a friend who did similar and ended up having an operation on hers. Like DCL says, water physio is very good, even splashing around in water at your local pool or having access to a jacuzzi would be beneficial, once you are in a position to be able to do so. Wishing you luck x

 

[newboult51]

I was thrown onto a fence and suffered a crush fracture to L1. Spent a week in hospital flat on back followed by 3 months in a back brace, was allowed to drive again after 12 weeks. I lost a lot of core strength so it’s crucial to get good physio as soon as you are able.

Good luck and hope you heal quickly

 

[Hector107]

Thanks everyone for replying, your experiences and advice are much appreciated. Am really looking forward to getting the go ahead to see a physio as I can imagine it’s very easy to lose core strength quickly. Swimming and Pilates also sound very sensible.

I broke my tibia from a fall four years back and had surgery to repair it, but for some reason this break has been more difficult to get my head around. Perhaps because it’s been left to heal on it’s own.

Just been down the yard to (slowly) groom and see my saddler. And I managed to skip out - so hopefully a kind of progress x

 

[Pippity]

I landed on the pommel of the saddle and sustained a crush fracture. It took a good few weeks for it to be diagnosed, so I didn't get any treatment, and I didn't ride again for a number of years. When I did pick up riding again, I was startled to discover how unlevel I was, so I now have regular visits to the chiropractor.

 

[Hector107]

Yes that sounds sensible! I’ll definitely be seeing my chiropractor on a regular basis once I’m allowed to. It’s good to hear everyone has been getting back to riding at some stage!

 

[MrsMozart]

Ouch!

Came off at apex of jump. Landed on feet. Had a compression fracture at L2.

Didn't know what damage I'd done 'till over 24 hours afterwards.

In hospital for three days on the spinal unit. Consultant wanted to squirt cement in, but it would only have meant me being up and about quicker. Healing naturally just seemed the better option to me at the time.

Back brace for 3 months if I remember right, but may well have forgotten exact timescales.

I found the combination of physio and equipilates worked best. The bone healed very quickly. I cut sugar out, ate a tonne of protein, plus just general healthy eating, and took some supplements that had the old name of boneknit, though I couldn't find it again when I broke a leg.

I hope you heal quickly and well. You'll need to take it steady so you don't make anything any worse. Lying down is boring for sure but it hurt less than sitting down did. If you use a muscle gel remember to rinse off the previous application otherwise your skin might get irritated.

I think it was 8 years ago. Back muscles in the area still go solid when not happy, right leg doesn't always work properly when walking and I have a list to portside.

 

[Theocat]

Yup. Got up and walked fifty feet before admitting I ought to go to hospital. Discharged the same night, issued with a back brave and wore it for ten weeks. Got back on a quiet horse pretty quickly.

The fracture didn't really cause any problems, but the loss of core strength did. Second all suggests for Pilates and swimming!