pregnant riders past and present - ligament pain?

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Ginge Crosby

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So the OH finally lifted the riding ban (YAY!), and has even let me go out hacking in company again since finding out I'm pregnant.

I'm only 18 weeks, but this last 2 weeks i've been getting what I can only describe as ligament pain...... like the feeling you get after being out hacking all day long, you get those sort of aches in your groin ligaments like they've been stretched too far. But i've been getting this after only an hour's hack, or half an hour's schooling. Usually I would just get in the bath and have a soak, and feel fine the next day. But since being pregnant, the pain doesnt seem to go away entirely. It is still painful getting into my car (the part when you've got one leg in the car, and as you take your weight off the other leg and put it onto the leg thats into the car to get in, it really hurts (if you catch what i mean!!!))

I've not ridden now for about a week, to see if resting helps, but so far it hasnt. I don't really want to mention it to my midwife as she was very against me riding from the start, and isnt horsey at all. But I was wondering if any HHO peeps might have any ideas/advice on how to manage it without cutting riding out entirely? help please!
 
alj7 said:
So the OH finally lifted the riding ban (YAY!), and has even let me go out hacking in company again since finding out I'm pregnant.

I'm only 18 weeks, but this last 2 weeks i've been getting what I can only describe as ligament pain...... like the feeling you get after being out hacking all day long, you get those sort of aches in your groin ligaments like they've been stretched too far. But i've been getting this after only an hour's hack, or half an hour's schooling. Usually I would just get in the bath and have a soak, and feel fine the next day. But since being pregnant, the pain doesnt seem to go away entirely. It is still painful getting into my car (the part when you've got one leg in the car, and as you take your weight off the other leg and put it onto the leg thats into the car to get in, it really hurts (if you catch what i mean!!!))

I've not ridden now for about a week, to see if resting helps, but so far it hasnt. I don't really want to mention it to my midwife as she was very against me riding from the start, and isnt horsey at all. But I was wondering if any HHO peeps might have any ideas/advice on how to manage it without cutting riding out entirely? help please!
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Hiya - not posted before so "hello"

I had to reply "symphysis pubis dysfunctionas" it sounds horrid and is horrid - I had this with both my pregnancies - I really feel for you. On my second pregnancy the pain was so bad I couldn't have ridden even if I wanted to, I struggled with walking I was that bad!! Physio helps apparently (I wasn't even offered this because I didn't mention it until too late (I come from the the suffer in silence brigade) definitely speak to your midwife and ask her to book you in for some physio, there may even be alternative help nowadays. Good luck x
 
I had pelvic pain late on in pregnancy and use a brace prescribed by the physios.I went underneath my bump to support everything.
I think the problem you have is something called spd,and its not just a riding problem...its the ligaments starting to stretch.
See your doctor and they may be able to help,and refere you to a physio
 
Hiya,
I'm also 18 weeks and am still riding and doing everything as normal, including fast work. The only thing i have stopped is jumping as my mare tends to launch me into the floor! I don't really have anything to add as i've felt fine (which given i've had every other effect of being pregnant is very lucky!) in that respect, but maybe it isn't linked to the riding and the ligaments are streching anyway!?
My midwife is fab, she says that Mary King won the Europeons at 5 1/2 months so go for it! Luckily she IS horsey!
 
Hi congrats i am pregnant (21 weeks) and found that just riding very gently (actually any kind of very gentle muscly type exercise and movement) and avoiding leaning over to do gates and using a mounting block helped a little. But i too have the pulling ligament feeling all the time not sleeping on my back and wedging an extra pillow under the not very pronounced bump area also helped. I have also decided that schooling,although not something i can say i did much of anyway, can be forgotten about so i just ride because i enjoy it and make the most of it while i can!
 
georgie0 said:
Hiya,
My midwife is fab, she says that Mary King won the Europeons at 5 1/2 months so go for it! Luckily she IS horsey!
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I'm very jealous - i thought my midwife would say 'oh yes, its good exercise, if your horse is quiet you should keep going until you're uncomfortable, blahblahblah' so when she came out with 'no way, too dangerous, don't do it at all' it cemented the idea into my OH's mind that horses are dangerous and i have to sell NOW! When i told her that i would probably carry on regardless as my horse is so quiet and predictable, but i would stop jumping (as he too is a bit touch and go on the matter) she went off to get a second opinion, who also said it was no-go but they cant stop me from doing it if i want to.

It really sucks, as in all other ways i still don't actually FEEL pregnant (apart from needing the loo more often) and i want to ride as much as possible while i still can, as there is the worry that i will have to sell/loan out as money is getting very tight atm.

so i've just looked on wikipedia (i know, not exactly the best source of knowledgable and accurate information but hey ho) and it says about hearing the joints of the pelvis and hips clicking or popping - i've had this since i can remember, but the other night i honestly thought i'd dislocated my hip when i turned around in the kitchen, it was sooo painful!

So is it better to see the GP, or speak to my midwife at my next appointment (8th april)?
 
I have just had a baby - 4 months ago now! Goes quick. But I too suffered with the pain you are describing and finally had to give up riding at 6 months pregnant. My midwife was horsey and said that provided you are sensible riding is ok.

I also suffer with a clicky hip and have done for years and at about 5 months began to suffer with spd pain. Best thing I ever did was go to a chiro who said left side of my pelvis was rotated forward. Couple of trips to her sorted everything out. Didn't go until I was 7 months but have no doubt if had gone earlier riding would have been a lot more comfortable.
 
I had PSD with 3 out of my 4 pregnancies.....funnily enough, the one I didnt get it with was the one I rode right through.....I think it was to do with the stomach muscles holding the baby off my pelvis.

If you are getting it now, I'm afraid I would stop riding and get yourself to a physio quick so that they can give you all the advice you need with regards to everyday life.....getting in and out of bed, out of the car, walking, giving birth etc etc. Ask for a support, which basically straps your pelvis together....

It is an awful condition, that is extremely painful and CAN hang about after the birth too, so you MUST take care!! I never had to use crutches, but I have known quite a few people who have....
 
Maisy said:
I had PSD with 3 out of my 4 pregnancies.....funnily enough, the one I didnt get it with was the one I rode right through.....I think it was to do with the stomach muscles holding the baby off my pelvis.

If you are getting it now, I'm afraid I would stop riding and get yourself to a physio quick so that they can give you all the advice you need with regards to everyday life.....getting in and out of bed, out of the car, walking, giving birth etc etc. Ask for a support, which basically straps your pelvis together....

It is an awful condition, that is extremely painful and CAN hang about after the birth too, so you MUST take care!! I never had to use crutches, but I have known quite a few people who have....
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ahhh not want i wanted to hear! but thanku anyway, i will be making an appointment with the GP to see where to go from here. I really dont want it to get any worse as i have no idea how my OH would cope if i was on crutches or unable to keep the house running, i'm currently unemployed so he's having to work all hours to keep a roof over our heads, and keeping the house in order is the least i can do to help him out!
 
I am 17weeks and haven't rode since i was about 4weeks not been allowed by oh and family but think its sensible as i have a lovely big unpredictable 4 year old so a friend has offered to ride him for me. There are some days i want to just ride but 1 silly mistake could have heartbreaking consequences just dont want to risk it!
 
I don't believe what you are describing is symphysis pubis dysfunctionas - that is actually quite rare and very very painful - I believe it is just normal stretching pains that every pregnant woman gets whether she rides or not.

If it is what I think it is the pain is sort of at the top of the inner thigh where the tummy joins the thigh in your abdomen.

I was really worried the first time I was pregnant (I did not ride) when I first felt it - quite a stabbing pain - sort of like a muscle pulling pain.

It is caused by the relaxing hormones doing their job a bit too well. You need to be a bit careful as you can strain bits of your body easier than normal as all your ligaments will get stretchier - enables the body to stretch to accomodate the growing baby and enables the birth canal to open during birth.

Just be careful - take it easy and rest more.
 
I rode up until about 5 months when it just got uncomfy! I'm 12 weeks overdue and still doing feeds, a little bit of mucking out etc. My doctor was great. She told me that a fall that resulted in me losing a healthy baby was probably going to be a fall that resulted in killing me anyway as they are so well protected to start off with. She did recomend staying within the boundaries of what my body was used to and if that was riding for a few hours a day that was fine. I didn't ride / compete anything I didn't know well but ultimately I thought I could go down the road and have a bump in the car even if I didn't sit on a horse. My husband was great and other than not wanting me to jump one who gets a little bit excited at shows was happy for me to continue. Ultimately it's up to you, you can wrap yourself up in cotton wool and still have a stupid accident whether you ride or not but ultimately it's your body and you have to make the decision. I didn't get any ligament pain so would definately get that looked into! Good luck!
 
legend22 said:
I rode up until about 5 months when it just got uncomfy! I'm 12 weeks overdue and still doing feeds, a little bit of mucking out etc.

I hope you mean 12 days!!!

My doctor was great. She told me that a fall that resulted in me losing a healthy baby was probably going to be a fall that resulted in killing me anyway as they are so well protected to start off with. QUOTE]

Don't agree with that one, a fall can trigger a miscarriage or prem birth, any incident can. Like you say, even driving a car is a risk. It's all about what you're happy doing in your own mind. I've got 6 weeks to go, not ridden since I found out, but then i'm an old bird that had a miscarriage last year so am not prepared to risk it!
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