How long should I wait?????

Orthe's Daystars

Orthe's Daystars

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Hi folks - I need your thoughts, opinions & if possible own experience!

12 weeks ago, courtesy of our local (excellent) NHS hospital I had a half knee replacement done. Luckily all went well & the physios are very pleased with my progress. I am now pain free!!!, driving again etc. PROBLEM - neither consultant, physios or my GP have a clue how soon would it be safe for me to ride.

Horse is enjoying his winter holiday, but I just wondered what to do next. Don't want to ruin their good work, but I'm desperate to at least have some timescale to work to. Horse is a calm (fairly) cremello Irish coblet who's been here since last June.

Plan is once I have some sort of time my instructor will bring him back into work & check out his manners & behaviour for me before I test out my lovely new knee!!!

I'm 55, but still want to compete at riding club level (woman must be mad I can hear you say). Sorry to waffle on, but I would be so pleased to hear from anyone who could help!!

Many thanks in advance

 
I don't know much about knees, but with fractures it's normally 3 months to heal. I would think if you're pain free and ok to drive it's probably ok to start riding again?
 
I've not had a knee op but I did damage a tendon/ligament at the back of my knee earlier on this year, April I believe! I kept pushing myself too hard at the gym and kept hurting it again! I'd wake up and think it was okay and would try running, and it was be messed up again! I would say its only been the last few weeks that I think it really has got better but I am still more caution not to bend it too much! so I would maybe see what your doc/physio says as riding will put a lot of pressure on your knee!
 
Orthe's Daystars said:

Hi folks - I need your thoughts, opinions & if possible own experience!

12 weeks ago, courtesy of our local (excellent) NHS hospital I had a half knee replacement done. Luckily all went well & the physios are very pleased with my progress. I am now pain free!!!, driving again etc. PROBLEM - neither consultant, physios or my GP have a clue how soon would it be safe for me to ride.

Horse is enjoying his winter holiday, but I just wondered what to do next. Don't want to ruin their good work, but I'm desperate to at least have some timescale to work to. Horse is a calm (fairly) cremello Irish coblet who's been here since last June.

Plan is once I have some sort of time my instructor will bring him back into work & check out his manners & behaviour for me before I test out my lovely new knee!!!

I'm 55, but still want to compete at riding club level (woman must be mad I can hear you say). Sorry to waffle on, but I would be so pleased to hear from anyone who could help!!

Many thanks in advance

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I am 6 weeks after accident broken humerus, I am not risking doing anything yet as not healed.


If it were me I would ask hospital if you can do something like swimming first. I wish I could swim but with a cast on its impossible
 
I damaged a tendon in upper arm shoulder area back in September, horse knocked me over and pegged it but I never let go of lead roap!!!!
It's only now it's feeling better, it turned into tendinitis cos I never rested it. I would go with how you feel, if it hurts after a short ride, then leave it, do few excercise. To help strengthen it, and try again, what does a physio say?
 
As the mother of a surgeon, I appreciate that not every medical consultant, g.p. or physio will know anything about riding. But they ought to be able to find out. Your own medical professionals are the people familiar with your case and they are the people who need to advise you - if necessary by consulting colleagues who know more about the physical demands of riding. I strongly suggest that you ask them to network on your behalf and advise you of any possible problems.
Since riding horses is a high risk activity and thus never entirely "safe", one does find some consultants advising against it altogether, - We have to take our own decisions - but, in general, after completing the right physio, a patient will be told it is fine for them to resume normal life, and for those who ride - that would include riding.
My OH and I started riding in our 60s and the general health benefits are an unexpected blessing. Let us hope that your medical professionals can investigate the physical demands of riding after a knee replacement such as you have had and encourage their patients to continue riding as long as they possibly can. There are many ways of reducing the physical strain on ones joints when riding, and work rounds for mounting and dismounting - so no it isnt mad. Just sensible. Good luck.
 
I had an ACL reconstruction and wasn't allowed to ride for 6 months. It is viewed as a contact sport in case you fall off. The ligament also needed time to get fully strong before I could put lateral pressure on it. I would endorse the advice to get the views of your consultant or physio. It often takes longer than you think, and although it's a frustrating time it is worth listening to the medical experts.
 
I imagine that the half-knee replacement surgery is similar in recovery time to the ACL reconstruction I had done last year. My surgeon told me 12 weeks off everything, then I could ride as it was healed and I just needed to build the muscles back up.
 
LotsOfGift-Bags said:
Wow Cowpony, that was a long time off after ACL reconstruction!
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I just did what I was told! I had it done privately, not sure if that made a difference, but 6 months was the minimum for contact sports. I could have done other sports earlier. The consultant said that the ligament wasn't fully bedded in and strong until then. Or at least, his actual words were "well that's the case with dogs. Unfortunately we can't cull you guys to check what it is in humans!":D
 
Mine was private too, my surgeon (who's widely respected in this area) said the ligament was completely healed after 12 weeks. The only thing I'm "not allowed" to do is skiing without a full brace until 18 months post-surgery.

In fact, I had a fall about 4 months after starting riding again (so 7 months post-OP) and although it hurt like hell, no damage was done!
 
Now that's interesting - I was allowed to ski after 12 months and although they said I could get a full brace their view was that most people don't bother with it after a day or two. I have a neoprene one, more to keep the knee warm than support it really. Maybe we did slightly different damage to our respective knees!:)
 
hi next time you go in or you could ring them ask how long before they think it would be safe to jump down a height of 5ft with the knee, ie if you fell off from the horses back to the deck. i think you should wait a bit longer and build up the strength in the knee under their guidance
 
I had knee reconstruction and fulkerson TTT and it was about 9 months until I could ride as I was in full leg brace 24/7 for the first 6 months then started learning to walk without it for a little while at a time. I was riding before I could walk and was on crutches for well over a year, but when I asked if I could start riding my surgeon said well you don't really do anything apart from sit there so as long as you have help getting on and off its fine! Show how much he knows about it so I would def make sure whoever says its ok to ride knows exactly what ridings about!! Good Luck :)
 
As someone posted above remember that you are probably around 5 foot up and even if you dont fall off there is still the getting on and off part to remember.

I considering none of the specialists know how long perhaps speak to some instructors about their experiences. Also could you ask your physio to find out, one of their colleagues may know, alternatively find a sports physio as there are more likely to know.
 
I part ruptured my MCL and completely tore my ACL 5th feb 2013.

Was in a brace to let the MCL hear, took about six weeks.

Doctor advised me to have ACL reconstructed which on the nhs would be approx end of summer/autumn...and then advised minimum 6 months before I could ride.
At this point (march / early April) I was told MCL probably healed so get out of the brace.

I then began riding, against doctors advice unfortunately, just literally sitting on and walking out round the roads 3-4 times a week for about 6 weeks. Getting on was very difficult. My difficult horse was a gem though and from then on I was on the road to recovery. My thigh which was completely wasting away rebuilt very quickly.

By August I was jumping again and at full fitness. STopped physio and doctor advised me that I was making excellent progress and that If I changed my mind and wanted the Op to let him know.

Never had the op, am now hunting jumping and doing whatever I please (no running but I didn't ever run anyway).

Everyone's different and I am sure my way is not the way to go about things but for me it worked and saved months of misery as I really was struggling.
 
To all the kind people who gave me some very good advice - guess what???

Horse has damaged his back & is now having good but expensive physio, new saddle, more time off AND I STILL HAVEN'T RIDDEN HIM YET!!!!!! Horses - who'd have them (only joking, love him to bits)
 
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