Chronic Pain Support Group
Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. sigh
For those who might not know, hippotherapy is a proven therapy to build core muscles. It is especially common to use for children who are confined to wheelchairs. I have always believed in the saying that there is nothing better for the inside of a girl then the outside of a horse.
I always get mixed reactions when people find out that I still ride horses, or specifically MY horse. I don't trust other horses, though I am learning to trust my daughter's horse enough that I can ride her too. It was a horse who threw me who crushed part of my spine - putting me in this never ending spiral of pain.
I have had a few doctors tell me I need to do some form of exercise that is actual exercise, and I just laugh at them as they have no idea how much effort it takes to ride a horse.
There are bad pain days that 20mg of morphine will only let me walk softly about the arena where every foot fall is like a chisel hammering into my spine and I can do it for no more than five or ten minutes. About as often are reasonable pain days when we go down to the end of the road and back - about 3/4 of a mile.
That is what we did today. My daughter is up staying for a week to help out while hubby is sick and as she has not been able to afford to move her horse yet, she rarely gets to ride right now, while I have two horses to ride. 3/4 of a mile - that my horse had an absolute need to take at high speed left me covered in sweat, and completely physically exhausted.
I have to have my daughter, or when she is not here hubby, saddle and unsaddle my horse for me. Sometimes I have to take several doses of pain meds to get through my ride. Sometimes I spend the next few days in bed. Today I took a 3 hour nap as soon as we got home - and I have yet to get the pain under control since waking up.
The muscles in my torso, legs, shoulders, rear, and tummy muscles will all be stiff tomorrow. There is one thing I know, no matter how much it hurts, there is nothing better for the inside of ME than the outside of my horse. He is my escape.
Anyone else have a special escape?
Yadlim and Misha
For those who might not know, hippotherapy is a proven therapy to build core muscles. It is especially common to use for children who are confined to wheelchairs. I have always believed in the saying that there is nothing better for the inside of a girl then the outside of a horse.
I always get mixed reactions when people find out that I still ride horses, or specifically MY horse. I don't trust other horses, though I am learning to trust my daughter's horse enough that I can ride her too. It was a horse who threw me who crushed part of my spine - putting me in this never ending spiral of pain.
I have had a few doctors tell me I need to do some form of exercise that is actual exercise, and I just laugh at them as they have no idea how much effort it takes to ride a horse.
There are bad pain days that 20mg of morphine will only let me walk softly about the arena where every foot fall is like a chisel hammering into my spine and I can do it for no more than five or ten minutes. About as often are reasonable pain days when we go down to the end of the road and back - about 3/4 of a mile.
That is what we did today. My daughter is up staying for a week to help out while hubby is sick and as she has not been able to afford to move her horse yet, she rarely gets to ride right now, while I have two horses to ride. 3/4 of a mile - that my horse had an absolute need to take at high speed left me covered in sweat, and completely physically exhausted.
I have to have my daughter, or when she is not here hubby, saddle and unsaddle my horse for me. Sometimes I have to take several doses of pain meds to get through my ride. Sometimes I spend the next few days in bed. Today I took a 3 hour nap as soon as we got home - and I have yet to get the pain under control since waking up.
The muscles in my torso, legs, shoulders, rear, and tummy muscles will all be stiff tomorrow. There is one thing I know, no matter how much it hurts, there is nothing better for the inside of ME than the outside of my horse. He is my escape.
Anyone else have a special escape?
Yadlim and Misha
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I invited Bill to have dinner with me last Sunday. He wasn't willing to drive 7 hours to mid Michigan and teased me with his beautiful ribs!!! So, of course I ate alone and had cedar salmon
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check out that smoke ring. It tasted really good. I smothered it with Maulls BBQ sauce which is Local to St. Louis and one of the best I ever had.....
I'm new here and I'm just getting to know people. If you don't mind me asking, I was wondering if you live on a farm.
Many of us live in an urban environment and struggle to make ends meets. So owning a horse is out of question.
Just my two cents. Have a good one :)
There are many programs even in urban areas that offer this type of riding. Some are charity based with reduced costs. Others are covered by insurance as therapy. If you are interested look for horse therapy or hippotherapy. Call some places to see what they can offer.
And I don't mind answering questions. There was a time, before I broke my back and the economy tanked that with a duel income our household was pulling in 6 figures. At that point having an expensive hobby that eats was no big deal. Nowadays, well, it is only my hubbies sheer force of will that keeps my horse. We live on 1/2 acre in a rural area, but I am not physically able to care for my horse so he and my daughter's horse (who was given to us) are 15 miles away at a boarding stable.
With hubby out of work for two years now, I am six months behind in my horse board, my house is on the edge of being condemned from back mold, and 90% of our income comes from charity from my mom-in-law. As soon as I can get our household condensed, finish the last few weeks of my Bachelor's degree, we will be putting the property up for sale and in our mid-forties, moving back in with my mom-in-law - taking the horses with us.
I'm in the same boat as you are. I was making a decent living before my pain reached a point where I couldn't work full-time any more.
We all have escapes but most of them are not healthy. So I try to avoid them as much as possible.
Now that I think of it, I saw a documentary once about horses and how they help kids with mental issues and especially those with autistic tendencies.
So you never know, may be there is something to this hippotherapy after all.
Enjoy your horse riding as much as you can!
Jo
I hope that you're careful, because taking pain pills and then jumping on a horse, when you have limited control and functionality, could end in a very bad scenario. If riding causes you that much pain and distress you may be doing more damage to yourself then that particular escape brings. Hippotherapy is not recommended for all types of pain....
Even if you can't ride, just spending time with the horses, feeding them, grooming them, talking to them can be very rewarding in itself, without causing you additional pain and distress. I spend a good deal of time in the pasture by my house, we have 4 horses in that particular area and they've become addicted to their daily carrot fix.
Jo: You don't have to own a horse to do Hippotherapy. There are normally stables and facilities that work to provide this service for those who don't have a horse of their own. You could probably Bing it and find programs that might be in your area. Although horseback riding is not the first recommendation for someone with severe Neck Pain, the jarring movements and motions of the ride could make that pain worse.
Kat
True Hippotherapy is with a certified physical therapist. It also often requires 2-3 additional people to lead the horse and act as side walkers for stability and safety. The horses are chosen for their calmness, smooth gait and overall bombproof-ness. The physical therapy is a gentle, smooth, rhythmic motion that helps to build core muscle strength and flexibility. As I said earlier this is a certified PT and covered by most insurance. It is also very expensive because of the many people necessary as well as the cost of keeping horses.
The secondary therapy is the emotional lift that comes from being around animals. I watched the kids years ago and now and you wouldn't believe the excitement and pleasure they get from seeing the horses. Plus the sense of achievement when they are on the horse. The barn my daughter works at has several horse shows each year. They have a division just for these kids and it makes you happy and teary to see the pure joy in these kids and their families.
Kat is right that horseback riding is not a good exercise for anyone with spine or back injuries. Most people who are healthy and ride end up with spine problems from riding. It's the price we pay for the pleasure. But knowing you have injuries and knowing they will get worse from riding is not smart. There are ways to make it safer like riding on a lead line so the horse is kept to a walk and controlled or driving instead of riding. And horses can fill us with you on the ground. Brushing can be good therapy to build arm muscles and range of motion. This is something everyone needs to talk to their doctor about and if appropriate find a PT who is certified in Horse therapy and work out a safe program.
Surprisingly, though my knees don't like riding, the areas of muscle that are still stiff are exactly around my weakest area of my spine. I also find that my torn rotator cuff does not hurt as badly for several days after riding. In calories per hour, riding burns as many as jogging - something I will never be able to do again. OK, so I usually ride for a lot less than an hour, but still, more than enough to work up a serious sweat.
Though, I usually ride at a nice sedate walk on soft surfaces, the ride the other day was a lot more energetic than usual. But my horse takes good care of me - others have noted on several occasions on how on my bad days he is "the old gray mare who ain't what he used to be" but anyone else who gets on has their hands full.
I also have one other option for when I can't ride at all anymore. My horse also is trained to pull a cart. It works the lower back more than riding, but does not have the jarring effect that riding can have.
And yes, if you want to look into hippotherapy, go find a GOOD reputable place. If the horses do not look happy, find someplace else.
Yadlim who is feeling overwhelmed with emotional issues
Misha my Service Dog who discovered the hard way to be GENTLE when picking up a container under pressure - by getting a mouthful of styling mousse!