OW! Hip Pain

[Eowin]

Not sure if this should go here or Real Equine...but...

OW! OW! OW!

Okay, I know WHY I have this pain - riding horses when I haven't done it for years but I don't know how to fix it. I've been doing quite a bit of searching on the net but haven't really found anything that applies - most of the stuff is for runners or other forms of hip pain. I think this must be pretty specific to riding.

What's happening is that on the outside of both hips, I'm getting muscle spasms right over the joint. It's on both sides but the right is the worst. Now, when I was a kid and riding and competing all the time, I'd get these same spasms but only when I first got on the horse. I'd have to kick my feet out of the stirrups and stretch my legs straight down as hard as I could for a few seconds until the spasm stopped. Then I could put my feet back in the stirrups and I was good to go.

Now, the pain hits when I first get on - doing what I did as a kid works. Okay, off to ride. But this time, when I try to apply leg to the horse that spot grabs so hard that my leg stops working for a sec. It happens a little on the left but the right is the worst. And my stretching trick doesn't work. The only thing that helps is to stop using my leg period - which when I'm on a horse is like asking me not to breathe.

Unfortunately, Mr. Lazybones likes to collapse in on the circle or cut corners. I apply leg and he moves back but the spasms hit, I have to stop using my leg, and he collapses again - getting away with it.

I realize this is a gotta get back into shape issue but I'm trying to find exercises to help stretch this area because the spasms aren't fun. The only one I can think of is an exercise we did in karate. While holding on to something, lift my leg forward with my heel pointed out and down as far as it will go and slowly bring my leg out and around, as high as I can lift it on the side and continuing as far as I can go back. But that is more of a strengthening exercise, not a stretching one.

Anyone have any ideas? :ppplease My hips will be extremely grateful. :lol

[tannutuva]

Haven't delved into it, but I picked up a discounted book from Daedalus (salebooks.com) "Ride Right with Daniel Stewart... balance your frame and frame of mind with an unmounted workout and sport psychology system." Some of the questions on the back cover are "Does you inborn asymmetry affect your aids?" and "Are your riding muscles strong enough?"

On a different wavelength, my friend has (re)found as she's taken karate that one of the ligaments in her upper thigh as it connects to the body is shorter than the other, which affects her range of motion and her strategies.

[Midnight Sun]

Not sure if this should go here or Real Equine...but...

OW! OW! OW!

Okay, I know WHY I have this pain - riding horses when I haven't done it for years but I don't know how to fix it. I've been doing quite a bit of searching on the net but haven't really found anything that applies - most of the stuff is for runners or other forms of hip pain. I think this must be pretty specific to riding.

What's happening is that on the outside of both hips, I'm getting muscle spasms right over the joint. It's on both sides but the right is the worst. Now, when I was a kid and riding and competing all the time, I'd get these same spasms but only when I first got on the horse. I'd have to kick my feet out of the stirrups and stretch my legs straight down as hard as I could for a few seconds until the spasm stopped. Then I could put my feet back in the stirrups and I was good to go.

Now, the pain hits when I first get on - doing what I did as a kid works. Okay, off to ride. But this time, when I try to apply leg to the horse that spot grabs so hard that my leg stops working for a sec. It happens a little on the left but the right is the worst. And my stretching trick doesn't work. The only thing that helps is to stop using my leg period - which when I'm on a horse is like asking me not to breathe.

Unfortunately, Mr. Lazybones likes to collapse in on the circle or cut corners. I apply leg and he moves back but the spasms hit, I have to stop using my leg, and he collapses again - getting away with it.

I realize this is a gotta get back into shape issue but I'm trying to find exercises to help stretch this area because the spasms aren't fun. The only one I can think of is an exercise we did in karate. While holding on to something, lift my leg forward with my heel pointed out and down as far as it will go and slowly bring my leg out and around, as high as I can lift it on the side and continuing as far as I can go back. But that is more of a strengthening exercise, not a stretching one.

Anyone have any ideas? :ppplease My hips will be extremely grateful. :lol


I have the EXACT same problem. Wierd. Mine is the same too, if it spasms I just take my foot out of the stirrup and stretch it and I am usually fine for a while, although it will be sore the next day. It is usually my right hip, but I think it has happened on the other one as well. I have no idea why it happens or what to do about it, but thanks for saying something about it. I will have to watch this thread for any answers!

[Eowin]

Haven't delved into it, but I picked up a discounted book from Daedalus (salebooks.com) "Ride Right with Daniel Stewart... balance your frame and frame of mind with an unmounted workout and sport psychology system." Some of the questions on the back cover are "Does you inborn asymmetry affect your aids?" and "Are your riding muscles strong enough?"

On a different wavelength, my friend has (re)found as she's taken karate that one of the ligaments in her upper thigh as it connects to the body is shorter than the other, which affects her range of motion and her strategies.

Well, I know the answer to the "are your riding muscles strong enough?" is a big fat (emphasis on fat) no. :lol I realize that's just going to take time and work and there is no way around it. I honestly don't mind the soreness, it's a good sore and I know I'm accomplishing something. But I'm just hoping to find a way to stop the spasms. Not only are they very painful but they cause my seat and legs to completely lock for a few seconds and that helpless feeling is absolutely terrifying. The horse also senses something is immediately wrong and slows down, which in turn causes me to lose my balance and because I can't move my seat and legs, that gets scary. They also lock mounting but dismounting is the worst because they have already been spasming. Yesterday I had to commit the cardinal sin of dragging my right leg over his butt in order to get off. I bit back this groan of pain and he's such a sweet horse that he turned his head and started nuzzling my shoulder. "Are you okay?" He knew I was hurting - so I gave him a big hug and loved on him and gave him some treats. :haha


I have the EXACT same problem. Wierd. Mine is the same too, if it spasms I just take my foot out of the stirrup and stretch it and I am usually fine for a while, although it will be sore the next day. It is usually my right hip, but I think it has happened on the other one as well. I have no idea why it happens or what to do about it, but thanks for saying something about it. I will have to watch this thread for any answers!

:hugg It's good to know I'm not the only one in this boat. :lol Brooke is at a clinic this weekend but when she comes back I was thinking of asking her about longe lessons. Maybe she knows of some stretching techniques that will help. With her in control of the horse, he won't get away with anything so I don't have to worry about reinforcing negative behavior. I remember my longe work when I was a kid but I'm not sure if it will really help my problem, maybe Brooke knows of other exercises.

If anyone else has any ideas, please post 'em! :popcorn

[nekomi]

Karrie, last year I dealt with this problem even though I wasn't riding! The spasms were so severe that I had to bite my lip to keep from crying or screaming, and I'd end up on the floor if I was standing up (ouch!!!!).

If the muscle spasm is on the outside of the thigh, right at the hip bone (which we commonly call the joint), it could be that your piriformis muscle is tight and spasming, which contracts around your nerve and causes "electric shock" type pain to shoot down your leg (this was my symptom).

My doctor gave me a series of stretches to do to help loosen the muscle, and the one that was REALLY helpful was this one, Pretzel stretch:

http://exercise.about.com/b/2007/04/10/exercise-of-the-week-pretzel-stretch.htm

Do a google search for piriformis stretch and you can find other variations (sitting, lying on your stomach, etc.) that may help, if this sounds like the type of pain you're dealing with.

Hope this helps! :hugg

[Eowin]

Karrie, last year I dealt with this problem even though I wasn't riding! The spasms were so severe that I had to bite my lip to keep from crying or screaming, and I'd end up on the floor if I was standing up (ouch!!!!).

If the muscle spasm is on the outside of the thigh, right at the hip bone (which we commonly call the joint), it could be that your piriformis muscle is tight and spasming, which contracts around your nerve and causes "electric shock" type pain to shoot down your leg (this was my symptom).

My doctor gave me a series of stretches to do to help loosen the muscle, and the one that was REALLY helpful was this one, Pretzel stretch:

http://exercise.about.com/b/2007/04/10/exercise-of-the-week-pretzel-stretch.htm

Do a google search for piriformis stretch and you can find other variations (sitting, lying on your stomach, etc.) that may help, if this sounds like the type of pain you're dealing with.

Hope this helps! :hugg

I just tried this and :wow it's fantastic!!! Thank you so much, Amanda! :hugg You've pretty much described the pain and if it's effecting a large nerve that would also explain why I can't use my leg or seat for a few seconds. But this exercise feels really great and also seems to stretch the lower back muscles (which I also have a problem with). :yaymiller

[BearsnBugs]

Oh yeah, sounds like what I've had when I've not ridden in awhile. Go to use my thighs to cue a running walk and pop! Same sort of feeling. Had it when first going into a canter too. I never used to get this before. Of course, I'm learning to use my body differently than ever before, too, so I'm sure that is part of it.

Like Amanda, I've found that stretches and other exercises help. We have Exercise tv on our On Demand on the cable and I do a variety of the Quickie studio exercises and since I've started that, I don't get them anymore. Or less severe, if I have gotten them. The stretch that Amanda linked to is in one of the workouts.

And I don't get lower back pain anymore! Bonus!

[Elf]

I have that, but it doesn't matter if I ride or not. It comes and goes.

I wish I could help. Are you getting the right amount of nutriants for your muscles to work well? It might not show up in everyday life, but under work those muscles may be lacking something???

E-

[nekomi]

I just tried this and it's fantastic!!! Thank you so much, Amanda! You've pretty much described the pain and if it's effecting a large nerve that would also explain why I can't use my leg or seat for a few seconds. But this exercise feels really great and also seems to stretch the lower back muscles (which I also have a problem with).

:woohoo So glad to hear it!!! I also have a problem with my lower back muscles, and I honestly believe that this particular problem usually *does* originate somewhere in the lower back, then progress to the hip.

As for me, I had severe spasms several times a day for 2 weeks before I started this stretch. After performing the stretch 3 times a day (all in a row in the morning) for a week, my spasms had stopped completely, and I was left with a dull throbbing pain. After about a month, that pain went away totally, and only returns when I sit at the PC for too long or I practice bad posture. I don't need to do the stretches daily to keep pain-free. But I do practice Pilates now, and have really strengthened my back and abdominal muscles, which helps greatly!! I'd recommend it if you experience pain in any part of your back.

Also, another odd thing is that my right shoulder blade seems to be "tied in" to my hip problem; I always get a distinctive shoulder pain for a day or two before I start getting hip pain - this, again, is all related to poor posture, and a day or two of stretching and Pilates fixes me right up. :)

I hope you remain pain-free, I know how awful this condition is! :hugg

[AnnaWindeknecht]

Wow! It's good to know that someone else has this saem problem too! I've had it also, but just on my right hip, which also indicates that I am probably lopsided :haha. But that pretzel stretch seems like a good remedy, I think I will try it. Thanks, and I hope yours gets better as well!

[Eowin]

I've been trying this for the past few days now and it's fantastic! It's really helping me and my spasms are lessening considerably. That's allowing me to continue and get these out of shape muscles back into shape. Thank you again, Amanda!!!!

[Landshark]

Just a thought.... have you googled bursitis?

[nekomi]

Oooh, yes, bursitis was an issue with my hip pain too - and that's what they originally treated for. However, after two weeks of meds, it wasn't getting any better. Eventually, they determined, though, that the bursitis was actually a secondary symptom caused by the spasms. The only thing that eased the pain (before I started stretching) was a muscle relaxant.

The bursitis may persist even after the spasms disappear, but in my case it went away completely about a month after the spasms were gone.