Returning to ride from a broken leg and ankle

Y

YummyHorses

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 April 2009
Messages
596
Visit site
Hi chaps,

As per previous post (about a month ago) I have broken my leg and ankle. Recovery is slow, boring and has on occasions been exceptionally painful but guess only to be expected. Have got back to work and the horses are now used to the crutches!

Met with my consultant last week and he feels I should be riding again in about 8 weeks time. Just thought I would ask advice from people on the forum who have also returned from similar injuries.....Is there anything I should be thinking about? How did you get yourself fit again? What pain did you experience? Did you change any tack to help?

I start physio in 2 weeks so am hoping that will help with building muscle, suppleness etc.

Anyway, thoughts appreciated.

x
 
I havent done it myself.
But Mum found spenger style stirrups helped, and a nice pair of supportive boots.

She also sat on a saddle horse watching telly rising trot for exercise!
 
I broke my femur in Jan 2010 and got back in the saddle in June, took it easy hacking to begin with.

But I attended physio, hydrotherapy pool and went to the gym regularly with crutches and then my stick. By the september I started going to dressage competitions then back jumping in the november and then I went to return back to eventing the next year.
I think I returned to work in the june I'm a nurse so had a phased return.

It may seem like a long time but I just kept myself busy by going off eventing with my pals. At least I still felt part of it.

Hope this helps you.
 
I had a tibia plateau fracture and the tibia was in thirty or so pieces it took four years of surgery to get it fixed I did sit on horses when I could between bouts of surgery .
You just have to go for it when you are ready ride daily short time at first on a horse you trust to behave I had my groom hack mine out first then I got on and we went for a short hack I preferred that to going in the school , it was tough I could not do rising trot I had teach myself like I was a beginner it was ages before I was happy with my balance in canter and it will never be as It was before with short stirrups .
I find the sprenger bow balance stirrups help I have to ride one hole longer on one side as my legs are now different lengths .
I had a lot of pain getting going I went to a physio and had a regular massage this helped a lot.
I did get frustrated at times but tried to focus on the fact I was lucky I still had my leg I do not really complete now but hope to have some fun overthe summer doing unaffiliated .
 
I will reiterate the suggestion of good quality, flexible stirrups. I can ride in regular stirrups with no problem but the flexible ones definitely help. (One client had those wedge stirrup pads - they made me want to cry!)

Good boots. I am super picky about what boots I wear, not just for riding but for everyday. I think it's probably very personal. I have try to have steel shanked boots and have often have steel toed as well (I go through at least a pair a year so have tried many options), although that can go both ways especially if you're not putting your foot down straight. I don't find zip boots last so lace up or snug pull ons (my favourite) for every day and field boots (laces) for tall boots. I can wear dress boots but struggle to get my foot in anyway (big feet, no calves :) ) and I do find my ankle swells so nice to have the option for adjustment. I cannot wear cheap wellington boots or even neoprene ones, partly because of the lack of support in the foot, partly because if the inside of the boot gets damp my ankle is agony and seizes up then gives me grief when I ride. I currently ride in Dublins without the steel toe, half a size too small, which actually seems to help (it wasn't intentional, I needed new boots and they felt okay) and have other boots to walk around in. It's a bit of pain switching but I think it actually helps to wear different footwear so I don't lapse into a specific pattern.

Physio. Go. Do your exercises. 'Nuff said. :)

I find it also helps to "monitor" my ankle and make sure I'm using it as correctly as possible. When it gets sore/tired I tend to stop using it through the whole range and then it stiffens along with the rest of my leg. I often watch my feet when I'm walking to make sure I'm putting them down the same way.

I'll be honest, mine hurts pretty much all the time and I don't think I did as good a job on it as you did on yours, although apparently I tore the biggest ligament in the body! :( I also did not go to physio at the time as had another injury they counted as more immediately serious and then had to go back to work (no riding, no pay) much sooner than was probably a good idea, taped up with vetrap and duct tape. I ended up with my ankle basically going on strike a few months later, cue more physio. and likely more lasting damage than necessary. I did bicker with my physio about the air support they wanted me to wear because I couldn't ride in it but I'd probably be more inclined to give it a try if you have the option of only riding on the flat initially.
 
Last edited:
I had a very similar injury just before xmas a couple of years ago. Wasn't allowed to ride until 5 months later. :(

Slightly thrown in at the deep end as I had to practice for a Quadrille team as soon as I got back on!

My Tips ( in this order ) :-
1. Tell your physio exactly what you want to achieve, do exactly what they recommend..and WORK HARD AT IT
2. Good boots! the best you can afford. Ariat for me, with chaps.
3. Stop thinking about your sore leg when you ride...I was so lucky to be doing a team ride, as I forgot about my injury, and just got on with it. Almost 75% of the quadrille routine for me was on my 'sore' rein and by choice in an arena I would have avoided this. But I had no alternative, I had to do it.
4. Expect it to be uncomfortable for some time. It will be. If it is painful, well that's another thing and you should check with your Dr. But it will be uncomfortable.
5. It takes time. For me, it has taken a couple of years to feel a lot better. I did have a very severe break. But time heals, and bones heal. In fact they heal very well. :)

Good Luck!!! :) :)
 
Tarrsteps That's really interesting about the wellys I can't walk in them either I use ariat short boot or dubarrys with a foot bed in from the chiropodist thats another tip Yummyhorses if you get sore Feet go staight to the chiropodist it makes a huge difference to your comfort my feet got all sorts of nasty callouss and things when I stared doing more.
 
Yes, orthotics can help a lot. I used to have custom ones but I've since found a brand that seems to work for me and I replace them regularly. I do tend to get a particular corn on the "bad" foot though, if I'm not careful about how I'm walking.

I bought a pair of Muck Boots a few winters ago and, aside from the fact that they didn't really stand up, the combination of their weight and the moisture made for a very sore ankle, indeed. Cheap wellies weren't any better, although they weren't much worse! I'm using Dublin River boots right now but also find anything Mountain Horse usually works for me. Ariats are good and I did have a pair of their yard boots I really liked, and have had their lace up "sport" shoes a couple of times, but they are hard to find and generally their dressier boots are too narrow in the foot for me.

I get annoyed having to buy expensive boots and shoes even for every day but I learned long ago it was just not worth the saving!
 
I broke my leg in 3 places about 10 years ago and would agree with following the physio exercises as I still do mine now. A simple but effective one is to stand on the edge of a step/stair on the ball of your foot and drop your weight down and then back up to flex the ankle. Another exercise is ballet plies which help you see in a mirror if you are symmetrical.

The recovery can be painful but I was determined that I wouldn't walk with a limp and would ride again and having these goals helped lots.

Good luck with the riding and I'm another one to recommend flexible stirrups.
 
As for aiding recovery, I'd definitely advise Acupuncture. My mum broke her leg in three places at the end of last Jan and was back on board after 7 weeks, competing after 12 (possibly a bit soon, but she'd qualified for the Nationals :rolleyes: I wouldn't advise that bit) The acupunture really helped her recovery and she could really feel the difference when she went a week without it. Obviously it's not everyone cup of tea though.
She also did lots of swimming and once strong enough, cycling. Now, just over a year later, she's back at work riding five horses a day, eventing, hunting etc without any concerns or pain.
Best of luck, it must be so frustrating but DON'T push it! She still dealt with a lot of pain and does have a slight limp. Stay in bed as much as you can manage :)
 
I shattered my ankle and am another who needs Sprenger stirrups, they make a huge difference to me. I've got ones with cheese grater grips for jumping too. I rode a horse for someone with those wedges too and nearly fell off!
My ankle still hurts every day. Agree with keeping warm/dry I wear waterproof Ariats all the time. My ankle hurts a lot if I ride without snug heel support.
Oh yes and as above do the exercises from your physio and make them push you. I cried every time but I have 90% movement back now so it was worth it!
Good Luck!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top