|
|
 Scooters Savior
   
Location: "Si Fi" Ville | Has anyone on here had a diagnosis of spinal stenosis and continued to barrel race successfully. Any suggestions to lower injury risk? Are there any products made that help protect the back? I finally have 4 very nice colts going after years of bad ones.
These for are especially snappy and powerful colts and it would be a shame if I just get in their way. I would like to be able to see how far I can go with them.
The back problem has gotten in my way some. I’ve started an exercise program to strengthen my back but still need a little help and some tips to be able to do the best I can.
|
|
| |
|
Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
 
Location: OH. IO | If you have not done so yet,you should probably get a bone density scan as well.It may make your decision even wiser.Ride safe! |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 165
Location: TN |
Treasurehunter-What kind of back excercises are you doing? I've got the same back problem, was lucky to find a mare that was really smooth turning but since had to retire her now have another that I'm afraid my back won't hold up in the turns. Very painful.
Edited by letswin 2018-04-07 8:05 PM
|
|
| |
|
I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Cervical or lumbar? |
|
| |
|
 Did I miss the party?
Posts: 3864
| I had nerve ablation on my lower back in 2012 to get through it. It got me back in the arena and I continue to be ok. Sometimes I get sore and think I may need to have it redone but, I rest a couple days and I'm ok. I plan on another MRI this summer. |
|
| |
|
 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Bump |
|
| |
|
 Porta Potty Pants
Posts: 2600
| Watching. |
|
| |
|
Scooters Savior
Location: "Si Fi" Ville | My exercises consist of a ton of walking, tons of stairs, yoga, stretching and hanging from a bar and pulling up my knees, core exercises, not much that bends my back or twists. That just makes it worse.
I wear a brace when I ride to keep down the chance of a bulge. That is the best I know of to do right now. As far as the spinal stenosis it’s cervical and lumbar. I have very little range of motion in both areas. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1613
Location: Wild Wild West | I am 68 years old and I have spondylolisthesis which is a slipping of a vertebrae in the lower back and general degeneration of the spine and severe Facet Disease which is degeneration and arthritis in the joints between the vertabraes which allow the spine to move freely. A lot to due with my age and wear and tear. I've been running barrels for 60 years. I knew my back was getting bad but it was hurting more than normal last fall so I went to a back doctor to have it checked again. He told me about the vertebrae slippage and said "You need surgery. Do not ride your horse. Do not do anything until you have surgery. You could fall and get paralyzed. " I went to another spine doctor for a second opinion and it was the best doctor visit I ever had. She explained to me that where the slippage was it was below my spinal column L4-5 and I could not get paralyzed. She told me surgery was the very LAST option that physical therapy could/ would help me. She also told me that riding horses is sometimes used for some back injuries for the rocking motion. I think she called it Hippatherapy or something like that. When I left her office she looked at me and said "Ride your horse. Run your barrels." I about cried. The other doctor had me petrified. I went to physical therapy for about 2 months and was feeling way better and am feeling great now. About a month after PT was over I happened onto a class at my gym called Bodyflow. It's a combination of TaiChi, Palaties and Yoga in a hour class and it does almost all of the PT stretches that I'm supposed to continue to do. And I love it. So, in answer to your question, yes, there are some of us out here that do continue to run barrels every weekend and sometimes twice a weekend with back injuries. I'm not saying I'm totally pain free but I feel better on a horse than sitting on the couch. Good luck. |
|
| |
|
| Yes, I ride with this. I have had a surgery as well. I don't want another surgery though and have come to find there are a lot of options out there for pain management, so do not give up. Currently I am doing another round of physical therapy. I too have had doctors tell me do not ride and others that have said no worries, do it. Just keep on keeping on and find yourself some help and relief. No, I am not pain free, but it's manageable. Epidurals as well as the ablation are other options for relief. I have not had the ablation yet, but the epidurals can be helpful for some. Hasn't helped me so much though. I've also tried acupuncture, but that wasn't so helpful.
Edited by y_do_i_do_this 2018-04-17 1:57 PM
|
|
| |
|
 Coyote Country Queen
Posts: 5666
| My back is a mess, and I'm too young to be having these kind of issues already. Dang genetics. I have stenosis in my neck and a bulging disc, I've been having lower back/SI pain, and was just diagnosed as having collapsed discs in my lower back. For me the key has been finding what makes me feel better. And that meant finding someone in the medical field that would listen to me. Two years ago I went to a back specialist that told me nothing was wrong. He did X-ray, but barely listened to my complaints. Then a year and a half ago I started having pain down my arm. Ended up getting in with a nurse practitioner that found the bulging disc and sent me on to a neuro doctor that diagnosed the stenosis as well as the SI issue. Tried an injection and pain meds, but this doc was so against riding horses I didn't feel like he was the right fit for me. It wasn't until an old AC joint injury showed up that I actually found the right pain med, and that was thanks to the nurse practitioner again! He got me feeling better along with finding the collapsed discs.
What makes me feel the best is stretching and remaining physically active. And I feel better when I ride. I take my pain meds regularly, and also added turmeric, magnesium, and a vitamin B supplement. I feel the best that I have in over 3 years. My back problem was definitely getting in the way of my riding, and I'm not going to deny that I hurt all of the time, but with my pain being managed I'm not having the riding issues that I was. |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 359
Location: MS | I have plates, screws, and rods in my lumbar and cervical. I have spinal stenosis in my lumbar, thoracic, and cervical. It is actually pretty severe in my lumbar. I still barrel race, but it has affected my riding abilities. I can no longer ride colts or any horse that has bad habits. My neuro surgeons told me if i get thrown again there is a big chance i could be paralyzed. All of my horses are older "old faithfuls" lol. I tried wearing a back brace, but I couldn't move; I actually felt trapped so I quit wearing it. I am actually only 30. Just be careful! |
|
| |
|
Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| I have a very back slipped disc 2 levels above an old fusion the neurosurgeon said very unstable had some foot drop and back then i could even ger my leg up high enough to get on my horse. I have a naturalpath she started giving me some stuff while i am not perfect it doesn't snap and pop and my stride is even and pain veey tolerable. My naturalpath just did pro on my knee today as soo this feels better gonna get the otherone done. She has given me ldn for pain for a bad disc in my neck so far its good and not controled. She trained under some doctor in az who worked on a lot of nfl players. Ride your horse. |
|
| |
|
| daisycake123 gives the BEST advice:
RIDE YOUR HORSE.
|
|
| |
|
| On another post someone mentioned gabepentin, a prescription. That it helped them a lot.
I have tried it and I too have been helped with it. It's for nerve pain.
|
|
| |
Folks on-line