Stiffness in the older rider!!

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NooNoo59

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I am 55 today! I have just started riding five days a week again, also walk the dog most days so not a couch potato! But I am stiff after sitting and in the mornings, is this just an age thing or can it be helped? suggestions (polite ones) welcome
 
NooNoo59 said:
I am 55 today! I have just started riding five days a week again, also walk the dog most days so not a couch potato! But I am stiff after sitting and in the mornings, is this just an age thing or can it be helped? suggestions (polite ones) welcome
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Happy birthday!

Get yourself a good Glucosamine supplement :)

ETA - Cod liver oil is amazing, but only if you can stomach the taste! (Unless you get the capsules).
 
Happy Birthday indeed. I get stiff too after sitting and laying down and I'm only 34. I presume your problem is in the hips? ... If so try some Yoga and sleep with a pillow between your legs so your hip doesn't collapse.
 
I am 37 and not currently riding but do have horses and walk dogs and so on and I am so stiff in the mornings. I think in my case I have 3 young children who were all big babies at birth and I think it has done my pelvis no favours also my stomach muscles are very weak which results in my back being stiff and sorer. I am hoping as I become more active I might strengthen and loosen up x
 
Happy Birthday!

I am 4 yrs older than you and have similar problems. I had a session on a mechanical horse, with a physiotherapist at the weekend, she identified where the problem areas were. I can pretty much pinpoint the falls which caused them! She has given me some exercises to do and I shall be booking further sessions with her.
My neighbour who is a similar age has regular osteopathy.
 
I'm older than 55 and try to keep myself supple with stretching exercises and pilates. I do two short stretching exercises in bed each morning when I've kicked the duvet off (these were recommended by my physio, in evening a do some stretching exercises again recommended by physio and also find stretching over a gym ball works for me, last but not least I try to do pilates once a week.
I think with horse riders, most of us have had a few falls over the years and as you get older you feel it more.
 
Singing - happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.
Like others suggest,try to do some exercise (other than horse related) and attention to posture to really help.and I also take prescribed pain killers regularly as well,ptic in wet weather/winter so I can keep riding when I want. And the bliss of a hot bath or shower to help the creakiness is great. I invested in a massage mat as well which is not as good as a proper sport massage but really helps.We are all giving extremely polite suggestions!!!
 
Happy birthday :)
Am catching up with you, tho am 3 yrs behind....
I have had 1 or 2 (ok, a lot) of splats involving breakages etc periodically, and these days I AM stiff.
I do yard chores 1st every time I go in the morning to ride, this helps me loosen up. Am not so stiff at the end of the day after work, but then tiredness sets in.
Stretching exercises really help release muscles for me, as do a soak in the bath - and regular exercise (poo-picking is regular excercise :biggrin3:

Mentally I am 14 - 18yr old with what I *think* I can do, physically I ride at about 40 (tho if a long day hunting or at RC, then feel about 80!) I am FINE till I get off......

I do tend to do the 'big rides' and events on weekdays or a Saturday these days, so I can take the Sunday to ease muscles before hitting work on a Monday morning :)
 
Feel your pain OP!!!

I'm as stiff as a board if I spend more than 10 mins sitting down :( - but funnily enough riding is about the only thing I can do without seizing up (till I dismount that is!! - Lordy its embarrassing at times).

The secret, I find, is to keep moving, so even while I'm sitting down I'm doing stuff, like foot motions, muscle tensing & releasing etc. That way you keep yourself supple AND burn calories.

Also a good chiropractor is essential: mine does me and the horses. Even better.

Sorry (edited) meant to add that Cortaflex too
 
Happy Birthday!

I'm a year behind you.

I eat a tablespoon of linseed every day with my breakfast cereal, made a huge difference to everything, joints, skin, hair.
I started taking it after seeing the difference in one of my horses! I cook with linseed oil now and make linseed flapjacks - yum.

Honestly go for it.

This is the stuff
https://www.flaxfarm.co.uk/freshly_ground_bronze_linseed_meal
 
RebelRebel said:
Happy Birthday!

I'm a year behind you.

I eat a tablespoon of linseed every day with my breakfast cereal, made a huge difference to everything, joints, skin, hair.
I started taking it after seeing the difference in one of my horses! I cook with linseed oil now and make linseed flapjacks - yum.

Honestly go for it.

This is the stuff
https://www.flaxfarm.co.uk/freshly_ground_bronze_linseed_meal
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Oo interesting as another aged rider (lol) this sounds good, also think Pilates is good but I am rubbish at it and went with my husband last time. Could not keep a straight face as he was worse than me might try that again, alone!,
 
NooNoo59 said:
I am 55 today! I have just started riding five days a week again, also walk the dog most days so not a couch potato! But I am stiff after sitting and in the mornings, is this just an age thing or can it be helped? suggestions (polite ones) welcome
Click to expand...


Well that's me at 28 done for then :'(

Just keep moving little and often is what I've found, I'm going to start going back swimming as it takes the weight off your joints and muscles.
 
I'm 66 with an exceptionally wide horse, and I find the only thing that helps me is to ride at least every other day. I struggle to stretch my thighs to begin with but if I adopt a two point seat for a few minutes and try and drop my knees I can settle into it.
 
EPSOM SALT baths, also Voltarol gel and lots of tramadol works for me. :)

No, flaxseed and starflower oil are different, starflower oil comes from the borage plant whereas flaxseed comes from flax (linum) plants.
 
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Ladies, we need to remember our hormones - or lack of - when we reach a certain age. My oncologist explained to me that as the menopause hits, in my case overnight with chemotherapy, our hormones deplete and it is oestrogen (I think) that lubricates our joints. I was told to take glucosmine.

I am so stiff (54) I need pain relief most days and I also find the stiffness can move around. For the past week my back has been rigid and I couldn't ride, today it is fine but my ankles hurt ! I also take rosehip and tumeric, I can tell the difference if I forget it for a day or two.
 
I'm 30 next year and have some stiffness due to various reasons, mainly in my back, sometimes in the neck too. Doesn't help that I've had whiplash from a car accident two years ago, but I tend to strain my back muscles easily sometimes from bad posture positions.
 
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