# Severe knee and leg pain



## cowgirl928 (Feb 4, 2012)

Ok so knee issues run in my family, but I am only 19 y/o! I should not be having knee issues yet. It hurts me so bad to walk after a ride that I dread dismounting. My dismount is perfect according to many people, but I get these awful shooting pains in my feet and knees. My knees have given out on my after a ride before because they are so out of sorts. What is wrong? Does anybody think riding with ace bandages will help? How about for the dismount? At this point I am dismounting at an alarmingly slow pace. Luckily my dear horse stands still for it, but I basically shimmy myself off so I can land as lightly as physically possible and not jar my legs and feet. 

My chiropractor says that the angle my hips take on my legs are why my knees take so much stress already, but seriously, this is painful. They get swollen as well, so I have been icing and heating them. 

I am worried though. I mean for only being 19, what is it going to be like when I'm 40 and riding?! Will I even be able to ride at that point? Not riding would absolutely break my heart


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

I would suggest using a mounting block to help ease the dismount. What is your seat like during the ride? Often times riders are sitting in a way that puts pressure on the joints/feet. You don't feel the effects at the time as it is a numbing sort of pressure, but you will certainly feel it when you dismount and ask those legs/feet to carry your body.


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## cowgirl928 (Feb 4, 2012)

it hurts while I ride sometimes too. I have always been told my posture and positioning are pretty good. So I don't know! lol


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

Do you have your stirrups at the correct length? For years I'd ridden with my stirrups at the same length and had knee issues. More so with my left then my right. I lowered my stirrups one simple hole. No issues anymore! I thought I had then at a perfect length and people said my form was wonderful.

Maybe try lowering them one or two holes and see how you feel!


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## cowgirl928 (Feb 4, 2012)

I never thought of that! at this moment in time I am actually in between saddles...I have been riding bareback for about a month and a half  But I have always had the knee pain. I will try lowering them thanks!


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## kellyface (Mar 3, 2012)

I'm 18 and have slightly similar pains, but thats because my patella is misaligned. I was in physical therapy earlier in the year to strengthen my hips because they thought it was due to my hip-knee ratio. I would say head to a doctor if lowering your stirrups doesn't help and the pain continues.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Hm. Did you ever think of a knee brace?
I tore my ACL and I'm not getting surgery till August, and my knee is getting looser, (I tore more things in there than my ACL) so I'm thinking of getting one of these:

Knee Support - Standard - Frontier Western Shop Ltd.

I already have the kind with the metal bars in it, but it's very impractical for riding.

Also, take an aspirin or two before you ride, it helps with the inflammation. Again, from my ACL experience. 

Doing knee exercises will help a lot too. I've been looking at ones to do before my knee surgery, I'm sure they'd help you too!


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

QHriderKE said:


> Hm. Did you ever think of a knee brace?
> I tore my ACL and I'm not getting surgery till August, and my knee is getting looser, (I tore more things in there than my ACL) so I'm thinking of getting one of these:
> 
> Knee Support - Standard - Frontier Western Shop Ltd.


I bought one of those when I mangled my knee last summer. It's AWESOME! Almost full range mobility, very comfortable and tons of support. Way better support than the one with the metal braces IMO. It is a bit hot/sweaty but I only noticed that when I would take it off and my pants were soaked.


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## Nitefeatherz (Jan 23, 2012)

If the pain is severe then I would consult a knee specialist. Especially. Given your family's history you may be doing serious damage to your knee and not realizing it. Better to spend a little time at the doctor BEFORE you cause irreversible harm to yourself like my mother did. I would also avoid seeing a chiro for diagnosis ... they can sometimes make things worse rather than better. A knee brace isn't always a good idea with certain knee problems: again sometimes a brace can make things worse. See an orthopedic specialist if you haven't already.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Delfina said:


> I bought one of those when I mangled my knee last summer. It's AWESOME! Almost full range mobility, very comfortable and tons of support. Way better support than the one with the metal braces IMO. It is a bit hot/sweaty but I only noticed that when I would take it off and my pants were soaked.


I should get one then!!! Cause I'm breaking colts in spring and I'd hate to totally blow my knee....


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

QHriderKE said:


> I should get one then!!! Cause I'm breaking colts in spring and I'd hate to totally blow my knee....


I'd really suggest it. Now the only thing is I wore it over breeches/tall boots and it was great. I wouldn't suggest wearing it over jeans, it goes on TIGHT to support and hold everything together so you'd be smashing the jean seams into your leg which would hurt and unless you have REALLY baggy jeans, it's not going to fit under them. That's the only downfall I found though.


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## ls6firebird (Mar 8, 2012)

try your best to stay mentally strong. hopefully your pain is something that can be fixed. there are a lot of great success stories with knee surgeries, but a lot of times, its never the same again.

im in the same boat. i tore my knee up racing motocross. i blew my knee out twice. the second time, i tore my acl and mcl. i hyperextended the knee and broke my knee cap. the miniscus was pushed completely out from the impact. the trauma to the joint was so bad, my knee pretty much just shut down. i dont really have any cartilage left in it. i had 7 surgeries on it by the time i was your age. since then, there is nothing they can do. it needs replaced, and they wont do that at my age (24).

if you worry about how broke down you will be at 40, you start to forget your still young. if you work at it and have the confidence in yourself, over time you can mentally block a lot of the pain out and still enjoy your hobby. its hard, but a strong healthy attitude is very important. definately get everything checked out by a doctor.

also, im not saying to push thru something that could be damaging. dont take my advise and push thru pain if that pain is a torn ligament or something. if its just pain that they cant do anything for is what i was talking about. hard to put it all in words, but ive dealt with a lot of pain in my life, so if you need any advise or anything on living with pain, feel free to message me


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## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

My knee is been killing me with even standing, and its been going on since last April and its getting worse fast. And ive been putting off the docs and i gott see whats wrong with it. I swear with the things it does and pain its got something majorly wrong with it and im scared of what it can be.


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

Hey buckup. it could be worse
I just got seriously messed up at a training. We were doing the obstacle course and i got pushed off one of the walls. ended up tearing 2 ligaments in my right leg, and have hairline fractures in my left. plus i have osgood schlatters and a bowed right knee.

Ive always had problems even while im riding so usually i ride with a knee brace. it works well for me with all the problems i have leg wise.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

Roperchick said:


> *Hey buckup. it could be worse*
> I just got seriously messed up at a training. We were doing the obstacle course and i got pushed off one of the walls. ended up tearing 2 ligaments in my right leg, and have hairline fractures in my left. plus i have osgood schlatters and a bowed right knee.
> 
> Ive always had problems even while im riding so usually i ride with a knee brace. it works well for me with all the problems i have leg wise.


I have always wondered what makes saying something like that seem helpful. I mean, if you really want to get down to it, people can play that game all day and someone always has it worse than the person before them - after all, the next poster could tell you that at least you HAVE a legt, maybe they lost their's in a tragic accident or are paralyzed from the waist down, etc.


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## ls6firebird (Mar 8, 2012)

themacpack said:


> I have always wondered what makes saying something like that seem helpful. I mean, if you really want to get down to it, people can play that game all day and someone always has it worse than the person before them - after all, the next poster could tell you that at least you HAVE a legt, maybe they lost their's in a tragic accident or are paralyzed from the waist down, etc.


i agree. the way i see it, is if someone has gone thru something "worse," they should understand what its like and offer help and encouragement


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## Nitefeatherz (Jan 23, 2012)

The problem with a knee brace though is that if you don't know what's wrong you might wind up compromising your knee more or (if its one sided) screwing up your OTHER knee. 

The brace can do some of the work your muscles are doing and support your knee- but it can also encourage the muscles to do less work which, in turn, will support your knee less.

On top of that you still don't know WHAT is causing you such a large amount of pain that you're willing to use the brace. You might be slowly heading towards a knee replacement because you don't know what's wrong, aren't fixing it, and are making it worse over time by not directly addressing the issue with an orthopedic knee specialist. 

Chiros can but a band-aid on the problem but they cannot treat the problem long term and can actually make an orthopedic problem worse. 

My mother ignored knee pain- by the time she decided to go to the doctor all the cartilage in her knee was completely destroyed. Because one knee was damaged, the other eventually went (which generally happens with knee issues that aren't addressed properly- the knee that is "compensating" eventually gives out. That's one of the reasons I'm told horses don't do well with broken legs.)

My mother also wound up going to a chiro to treat a neck injury- the chiro seemed to be helping short term. She would feel great just after the appt- but slowly, over time, the problem was actually getting worse. The chiro wasn't treating the problem and now she's looking at neck surgery.

Buying a brace is a "quick" fix for a problem that isn't being addressed or taken care of properly- otherwise- you wouldn't need the brace and you wouldn't be in pain.


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