fracture of t5 vertabrae

EMZ0907

about 3 months ago i fell off my horse and crushed a vertabrae in my t-spine. although it was very painful for a while i seemed to go from strength to strength and have recovered 3 months earlier than first predicted. my problem now is that im getting 101 different answers from different doctors. on doctor told me i could go riding after 4 weeks another said 8,the doctor 3 weeks ago said i could ride now. i was at the hospital for my final visit on wednesday and this doctor told me that i could ride as long as i dont fall off.....not exactly the most helpful of answers!

i was just wondering if anyone has been through anything like this?or has any advise?i will be starting physio rehabilitation next week and can skip major parts of it because i have recovered so well. the doctor told me to do pilates,swimming and walking. my problem is can i ride?the cheif doctor said 6 months but might meet me half way and let me after4.but because i havent gotten to speak to him iv no idea when im allowed ride as i have not got a proper answer from anyone!!

please help!!!

Eh.. firstly, no medical advice on this board!

Secondly, if you fell off three months, then recovered three months earlier then expected.. you recovered instantly. You may have typed the wrong date there.

EMZ0907

no it was supposed to take 6 months to recover and i have recovered in three. im not asking for medical advice im asking has anyone else been in this situation and how they got along.i dont expect medical advice from people who are not doctors.

EMZ0907

EMZ0907 wrote: »

no it was supposed to take 6 months to recover and i have recovered in three. im not asking for medical advice im asking has anyone else been in this situation and how they got along.i dont expect medical advice from people who are not doctors.

Thats fine then - just making sure that everyone knows that!!

fits

I think you should build up your strength with other activities before you go near horses again. If the doc says to do pilates and swimming, do pilates and swimming. Pilates will build up the muscles in your back and support the damaged area. The last thing you'd need is another fall before you've healed. Err on the side of caution would be my approach anyway.

kick-on

i did my t11 vertebrae 3 weeks ago, im already itching to tack up d mad basta*d who threw me off and prove im alryt, i know how ya feel about being mad to get back!!!! You shoud prob try and get in contact with the head doctor and find out for definite (possibly through your gp)

EMZ0907

YEAY someone who understands!!!i have never been so frustrated in my life!these have been the hardest few months ever. i hope you dont have to wait as long as i do, ive read alot of cases of people being back up and going after 6to8 weeks?i know everyone is different and each break/fracture is different. tried to get in touch with the head doc but he is like gold-dust,impossible to catch hold of!hope to god you dont have to wear the horrible back brace i had to wear!!and MOST DEFINATELY hope you heal faster than me!!:D

Bendihorse

I did the same, fractured T12 and wore a brace for 3 months. I was able to ride a couple of weeks after it came off but did experience some discomfort when i saw up straight on the horse and put pressure on the area that was damaged. Take it very slowly after you start back, it takes a while to rebuild up the muscle around the damaged area.

EMZ0907

thanks a mil for the comment!:D decided to leave riding for maybe another 3 weeks....in that time i will have had a few physio sessions and done some more excerise in my own time like walking and pilates......

thanks again!

kick-on

ye were definitely in the same boat, would swimming be any god for strenghtening the muscles?? were u allowed to drive at all with the back brace? i havent driven r antin in around 3 weeks now, hope the doc wil finally tell me im aloud do something:D

EMZ0907

depending how your feeling swimming would be soooooo good because its little or no impact!it will defo help with now anyway cause i have like no muscle in my back,not to mention im as stiff as a plank!haha i think doing a bit of swimming would do you wonders!:)

as for the driving i drove all the time but found it very difficult at the start because it was quite painful getting in and out of the car and doing things like looking over my shoulder but after the first week it was fine!to be honest i wasnt the best with wearing the back brace....:eek: but i couldnt drive at all with the brace on, mine was beyond restrictive!and ive a ickle sports car with anti back brace seats!:D but you will have no problem!

what so far have your doctors being saying about the injury?

kick-on

had you much pain when it happened you? mine was sore for the first week but now ive absolutely no pain, i think im gonna giv swimming a go to keep me fit. What did you do with your horse when you were out?, ive just got someone to take mine whilst im injured, hes green as grass so didnt want to turn him out. Eh the docs havnt said much to me at all really, He didnt look too happy when i asked him how soon id be back riding!!!!:D

EMZ0907

omg youre the exact same as me!i felt fine after the first week, well....dragging jump wings and the like was painful and getting in and out of my impossibly awkward car was painful but other than that i was grand and thought i was ready to mount up and get going!needless to say the doctor was less than impressed.unfortunately iv had a hundred answers as to when i can get back.however today i had my first physio and she said there was no point in me being there!i would recomend you stay as active as possible cause i think that helped me not lose so much muscle and need basically no physio!swimming would be great!my poor horse feels so unloved!he too is very green, but luckily i have great friends who take care of him for me!funniest thing is as mad as he is i came off a older mare who would be in my opinion a schoolmaster, but i guess she just took fright and decided she was going to be in a rodeo!

ps, my first ride will be on the 10th of nov!22days 13hrs and 17 mins give or take a second!:D

needadvice

\that is really rough on both of you and could be any of us. Just wondering were you wearing back protection at the time. Nit meant sanctimoniuosly I don't wear one.:eek::o:D

kick-on

eh no i wasnt wearing a back protector :rolleyes:,i have one but cant stand em, i dont look as stylish when i wear it:D, Eh i asked the doc and i was told that because of the way i fell it made little or no difference wether i was wearin 1 or not, a girl down the road frm me fell off her pony before and broke her back, cracked her skull whilst wearing both a back protector and a skull cap!

EMZ0907

ditims on the not wearing a back protector!:o....find them awful uncomfortable being a girl and all if you catch my drift!:p and same with me it would have broke back protector or not im afraid...just the way i landed.i guy i know came off and the way he landed on his back cause the end of the back protector to shove into his spine and he cracked the bone...well chipped it!same with hats tho...i came off a race horse gone mad and was knocked out!they do provide protection yes but they can still cause damage or allow it to happen!iv seen a new back protector thats made with gel not foam?any thoughts on them??

kick-on

ye i just find back protectors too restrictive!! eh i can imagine a gel one being a good shock absorber!!, WAs back at d doc yday, im back driving n allowd do office work frm tuesday on Yay:). Another month with the brace and then i have to do physio

EMZ0907

omg yeay!those 4 weeks will fly;) physio is a bit of a laugh now i must say!:P very embarrassing but funny!hope you dont need too much....depending on the hospital they will just keep you on the books so you can get into a back class so that after you start that you can be officially signed off!woop woop:D apparently this gel acts like a foam but gives you more movement and is more comfortable....how true that is i dont know but im off to find out or all my friends will shoot me!:o not allowed on a horse without one they tell me:P

kick-on

ye hopefully it will fly, hw is physio embarresing?? ah im stil not wearin a back protector, cant blody stand em, buying a new skull cap tho cos ive had d same 1 4 9 yrs, must be fu**ed now!!

EMZ0907

haha id say so!i hated physio cause im not one to be poked at and they jus poke at u alot!:( they also like pull up ur top and stuff just all very uncomfortable!going to get a new hat myself as mine has had some mad falls and iv had it forever!i dont see myself using a back protector either!i hate them!:p

EMZ0907

EMZ0907 wrote: »

haha id say so!i hated physio cause im not one to be poked at and they jus poke at u alot!:( they also like pull up ur top and stuff just all very uncomfortable!going to get a new hat myself as mine has had some mad falls and iv had it forever!i dont see myself using a back protector either!i hate them!:p

you should try a session where they are looking for muscle weakness. 50mins of the most intensive workout I have ever done (and I was super fit at the time as well). I wasn't able to walk the 150m to the Luas after.. was sitting in the reception for 20mins just waiting for energy to return!

EMZ0907

omg thats actually my worst nightmare!i was only there for 20minutes thank god.ya poor thing id say that was sooooo uncomfortable!:o

kick-on

Ah i dont tink dat the phyio will bother me much realy, ye i definitely have to get a new hat, Im thinking of getting one of them gpa skull caps like the one mccoy has:cool:

I know its off topic, but what do you think of the GPA hats?

I've never used one but I think they look awful!!

fits

I actually quite like the look of them. Not sure if I'd buy one though.

Really? I don't like the look of the vents at all.

I also think the ones with the national flags look a bit tacky.. thats just me though!

EMZ0907

EMZ0907 wrote: »

omg thats actually my worst nightmare!i was only there for 20minutes thank god.ya poor thing id say that was sooooo uncomfortable!:o

You kind of used to getting proded and felt up with nothing on but boxers..

fits

Deleted User wrote: »

You kind of used to getting proded and felt up with nothing on but boxers..

lol!

I dont mind stripping off for the physio at all. I had to do it recently as she was examining a sort of sciatica that left me with a very sore leg. She was wonderful tbh as I thought it was something else completely that was causing the pain.

Post-op physio can be very tough though. Very tough.

fits

Deleted User wrote: »

Really? I don't like the look of the vents at all.

I also think the ones with the national flags look a bit tacky.. thats just me though!

I actually think those look great. I dont mind the sport looking a little less traditional at all. Horseriding in general has a stuffy enough image.

kick-on

im talking about the skull cap where you put on your own silk, They look to be a real good helmet!!!!!

What did they make you do in physio?? id imagine its all just stretches and that sort of thing

MDFM

Deleted User wrote: »

Really? I don't like the look of the vents at all.

I also think the ones with the national flags look a bit tacky.. thats just me though!

I usen't to like the air speed gpa hats, but having gone thro 2 other gpa's (earlier models) both of which over time seemed to get larger and out of shape, i finally invested in the air speed and its the most comfy hat i've ever worn nor after a year has it lost its shape. i love it! the inside padding can also be taken out and washed or replaced as it's got velco fittings on it.