Hips aching during riding

Scheherezade

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Does anyone get this? it's a very recent thing that has started happening, and I don't know whether I should go to the doctors or not. I'm 22, and quite fit, normal weight.
 

Rosie2407

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Yes, me!

I have had this on and off for years (am only 27).
I didn't go to my doctors at first but went to a sports injury physio who was fab!!

He helped me get all back into place (was out of line etc etc) and gave me some easy exercises to do before I get on my horse. I find that having weak hip joint often means I get groin strain very easily too - he also helped me combat this.

I did go to my doctor to get checked out as have history of arthritis and osteoparosis in family but was all fine and they said just keep going to physio.
They offered to refer me to NHS physio but v v long waiting list and this guy discharged me after a couple of months anyway.

x
 

Cuffey

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I find broad backed horses very uncomfortable--I like my legs to just drop from my hips
When I mentioned I was hurting to a RS instructor she lent me pair of sloping stirrup treads and told me ''not to try so hard'' when schooling
I do now have the swivel type stirrups which are really good

However I definitely did not ''hurt'' at your age--saddle sore yes but not sore in my joints.
 

Scheherezade

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Ooh, I don't think I could afford a private physio :( However my NHS trust area is really good, so they might be able to help.

Does it throb after riding for you too?

That's reassuring - I'm terrified I'm getting arthritis!

Cuffey - I get it on all types of horse. My youngster is very wide, but I get it on my slender TB, and on the riding school medium sizes. It's worse with long stirrups, and agony without stirrups unless I can take regular breaks (every couple of minutes) to stand up, or if I bring my knees right up onto the pommel.

(Sorry, some of this thread is also a reason to moan as OH just says it's my own fault for riding :p )
 
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Joss

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If the Doctor doesnt help much, save up for a couple private physio sessions. Might not cost as much as you think (£30 ish a session) so probably similar to a having a lesson on your horse. Might well be something easily fixable.

I dont really ache whilst I ride but do when I get off, however, I know EXACTLY why this is - I am 5 & half months pregnant & my poor ole muscles round my middle dont know whether they are coming or going;):D
 

SecretSquirrell379

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I get severe groin and hip pain, I actually find riding with no stirrups easier. Apparentley the muscles in my groin do not stretch enough so my hips can not open up properly. If I'm on for any longer than an hour then I have real problems getting off again! I had physio but to be honest it didn't really do any good. I've been told to sit crossed legged and use my bouncy ball and it will help. Good luck xx
 

Scheherezade

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Thats odd tricksy! It definately is less bad if I have shorter stirrups, and my ideal position is jockey! Crossed legs is horrible pain, but it always has been for me; I've never been able to do it.

Don't say that Joss! I definately am NOT 5 months pregnant! Haha. £30 isn't too bad I suppose. I've booked a docs appointment for Friday morning, but I won't be riding before then, so hopefully that won't matter and they wont need to see me when I'm in pain!

Thanks :)
 
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Magicmillbrook

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If the Doctor doesnt help much, save up for a couple private physio sessions. Might not cost as much as you think (£30 ish a session) so probably similar to a having a lesson on your horse. Might well be something easily fixable.

I dont really ache whilst I ride but do when I get off, however, I know EXACTLY why this is - I am 5 & half months pregnant & my poor ole muscles round my middle dont know whether they are coming or going;):D

Congrats - I got very achy when riding pregnabt, esp my hips, I had to stop at about 7 months because my hips just got too sore, I still have a bit of a prob over a year later, but then I dont get enough time to ride and realy get strong in the right places again!
 

sidesaddlegirl

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Welcome to my world! :D

I get this as I have arthritis in my back and hip joints, especially my right hip which is a bit of a bugger as this is the side I sit on side saddle. Try to get in on NHS physio as they gave me good exercises to do to try and minimize the pain and stretch out my muscles which tense up due to rubbish bones. I didn't even have to wait long to get seen by a physio either, only a week or so but I was discharged last month as she thought I was getting on well with managing the pain, etc. Infact, I should really do my exercises now as I'm riding later on. Often I'll do them at the stables before I get on too.

Also I find with astride saddles, if a saddle has a wide twist (the past of the seat that is waisted or goes in), that aggravates my hip joints too. When I ride "normal", I use a close contact saddle with a narrow twist- my old saddle, a Saddle Company one, had a wide twist and that used to hurt me.

You may have to give up riding wide horses too, your hip probably hurts when you ride your slender TB as it's been aggravated from riding your wide youngster and doesn't have time to rest and heal. I used to have an XXXwide cob on loan and I was in agonies riding her (I wasn't sad when her owners sold her as it was a relief to my hips!). Now I don't ride cobs or anything like that now, it's fine, narrow horses for me!
 

Scheherezade

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Nooo, not my baby boy :( he's currently wide+ (not quite xw), but is on a diet and should be back down to MW.

I'm riding in an old-style dressage saddle, if that makes a difference? Which doesn't help with the long legs thing. Time to get a jumping and give up my dressage dreams. It'sreally interesting about the twist - I'll have a look and check. As you say, a close contact might improve it. That's a really good idea.

Thanks! :)
 

sidesaddlegirl

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You don't necessarily have to get a close contact saddle but just a saddle with a narrow twist (any good saddler will know what you mean when you tell them this). I just find cc saddles more comfy anyways and they tend to be the ones that have narrow twists in them. You can get dressage saddles with narrow twists but you have to look around for them. I tried a Kieffer dressage saddle that had a narrow twist but unfortunately, although it fit me, it didn't fit Hattie!

I do dressage in my CC too, who cares if it's a jumping saddle and tan!

Also too, you may want to start taking glucosamine like yesterday, it's VERY good for your bones and joints and I can't live without my pills!
 

only_me

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what kind of pain is it, and is it only after riding?

Is it in both hips, and does it get worse depending on the gait?
 

Luci07

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Anyone tried riding with sprenger stirrups? or would they not help with hip issues? I have knee problems and can't ride for any period of time unless using sprenger. I did borrow a friends for a proper trial as I am a tad cynical in my advanced years and was extremely surprised that they helped! Have them for both dressage and jumping.
 

Rosie2407

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Hi again!

Yes, my private physio only cost about £25 per session and I didn't really need that many. My area had 18 wk waiting list for NHS so not much use but your area could be much better - def worth looking into.

The exercises I do are mostly pilates based and geared towards strengthening my 'core' and I find the fitter and more often I exercise and ride, the better I am long term. I had to do quite a lot of work before I was allowed near the medicine ball.

But yes, I did get really achy during and after riding, I sometimes couldn't even really pinpoint where the pain was coming from - my hips, my groin, my thighs, lower back and even my knees woud get this general dull ache, like bad toothache all over.

I found hot baths, lying flat and ibuprofen helped!
Good luck :)
 

the watcher

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There are a few things you can try to relieve this discomfort, a narrower twist in the saddle would help as would some simple exercises. I have to do the one you often see footballers doing when they raise a bent leg and then rotate out from the hip - inelegant but does release the hips to an extent.

I too am more comfortable riding with a more bent leg and compare my hips to feeling like round shoulders that I can't get back and straight!
 

Scheherezade

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SSgirl - I'll have a look round. The thing is I don't want to change saddle unless my youngster stays sound. We're only just bringing him back into work, so there's no point splurging a load of money on a saddle I won't need!

only-me; it's both hips, though worse in the right I *think*. It's like a real aching pain, it feels like the inside of my hip bones are being torn/twisted in a way they can't go! Gait doesn't matter, if anything walk is worse because at least in trot I am rising, which helps to stretch them out.

edit - watcher; I have tried doing the roate hip type exercises, but that seems to make it worse! Your analogy is quite fitting, if I could I would just ride jockey with my knees at my navel! I guess a physio can help with this more though.
 
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SecretSquirrell379

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I ride in Sprenger but to honest i've used them for so long I don't know what it was like before. I think that riding without stirrups is better for me as my legs can flop in their own way, knees and toes twisted out rather than opening my hips up properly if you know what I mean. I can't do that whole lift your leg away and put it back, well I can if I do one leg at a time, hold onto the pommell, lean forward and pull the most awful faces as its SO painfull. I tend to take a couple of Ibuprofen before we ride to take the edge off it :rolleyes:
 

Scheherezade

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I've stocked up on brufen!

Doctor said she didn't really know what it was :rolleyes: But I've got an appointment with the physio in just over 2 weeks, so hopefully they will be able to help!
 

Gluttonforpunishment

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OP - hope you get sorted.

It's a standing joke in my household that if I were an animal they'd have put be down by now.

My "conformation" is somewhat poor and has been causing me various aches and pains since I was about your age (you can add a decade on to that now!).

You may find its as simple as needing an adjustment - your sacroilliac joints may be out for example.

Alteratively, like me, you may discover one hip joint is rotated slightly - not something you can correct but plenty of excersises you can do that help.

Are you very tall? I'm 5'11" and classed as "hypermobile" which combined mean achey hips and joints quite a lot.

I visit the oesteopath every 3 months (£30 a visit) for an MOT session. Find this keeps me comfy and riding.

Good luck - and don't worry, you'll be sorted out soon hopefully.:)
 
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