One dead leg when riding - who to see to get help for this?

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FemelleReynard

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Every time I ride, probably from 15 minutes in, my left leg begins to go kind of sore/numb and my ankle and knee ache like hell. It gets to the point now where I have to stop every so often to hang my leg out of the stirrup to get the blood circulating and everything moving again. I also try to move and twist my leg around as I'm riding to keep it working. Before I get off I also have to sit with it hanging for a while else when I jump off it gives way and I land in a heap!

So my question is who would I see to get this sorted? I feel a bit silly going to my GP about and don't want to waste their time. Is it something for a physio, or some other health professional? Happy to pay for my own treatment, just don't know where to start or who to approach.

Thanks H&H
 
My first thought would be try putting your stirrups down and check with a chiropractor that you're not sitting unlevel as it sounds like you could be leaning heavily on that leg.
 
Def check your stirrup length, also try and get a session on a mechanical horse, you'll soon find how you are sitting - a workout on one of these with an instructor is really beneficial :)
If you ARE then found to be sitting badly/ compensating, its worth then going to a chiro to get them to assess what exercises can help you. Also a few sessions with a good instructor will straighten you up (if thats the problem).
 
Lots of horse physios are also human physios and round me, many of them are also accomplished riders - in your position I'd seek out a respected physio who could look at me on the horse and see if they could identify what was going on.

If you have something like it in your area a few sessions on a horse simulator with a suitably qualified person could also help to address it.
 
I would suggest you see a physio too. Although the symptoms are in the leg, it could well be coming from an issue somewhere in your back, and is unlikely to just go away on its own. Anything that causes numbness in any part of the body needs to be investigated, and I doubt you would get these symptoms simply from sitting wonky or having odd stirrups, it sounds a bit more complex than that. I see a physio regularly for ongoing issues with my back / muscles / posture, I originally went to her to investigate my shoulder pain after a bad riding fall and she found a whole host of back and neck issues that she reckons have been building up for several years!
 
I have exactly the same thing and my awesome osteopath has got me from being largely unable to use my right leg to largely normal - I now sometimes get slight numbness in my foot but that's largely it. I have muscle issues anyway as I have fibromyalgia but he reckons mine is a version of sciatica - when my muscles get tight then they press on the nerves & that causes the achiness/numbness. Typically the problem is actually higher up - in my case he did something horribly painful to my bum cheek (that sounds incredibly dodgy - it wasn't, honest!) and I am now sitting straight and able to use both legs equally.
 
Like Rolocandy - I had similar many years ago. An osteo tracked it down to a very tight piriformis muscle (in the bum cheek) that was compressing the sciatic nerve because I was sitting a bit wonky. Some painful bum cheek manipulation and it was much better after a couple of sessions. Exercises then pretty much kept on top of it.

I still get the odd twinge now and again (haven't ridden for years) but a good session of sitting on a tennis ball (painful bliss!) to push into the sore spot sorts it out.

Ha! Cross posted with other bum muscle sufferers! :D
 
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Loving all the similarly afflicted bum cheeks (which sounds equally dodgy - I'm a full-time lurker and seldom poster, this is clearly why)! Will also be nicking the tennis ball idea - thanks Whinney!
 
Lacrosse balls are often used as they are harder, I spend a lot of time sat on a small spikey one at work but I have chronic left glute pain issues so most of my attempts are to distract it!
 
OP where abouts in Leicestershire are you? I could put you in touch with an excellent chiro for both horses and humans if you're anywhere near Melton Mowbray.
 
If your leg is going numb and you notice weakness when you dismount then their is impingement on a nerve somewhere. This could be anywhere along the route of the nerve from you back or somewhere further down. I would see a physio first and go from there. It could be anything from tight piriformis muscle or a bulging disc. There are many possibilities, but a good chartered physio would most likely be a good starting point.
 
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