# Ow, I fell



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I had a decent fall today. Apparently I landed on my butt first (per the giant hole in the seat of my pants :eek_color but then my back, and my back is what hurts. I took two ibuprofen and am icing it. I seem to recall that you want to keep the swelling down at first (for 12 hours? 24 hours?) but that after that swelling is OK because it's a sign of healing. So I should only do the ibuprofen and icing for a little while? I also have some muscle relaxers that I have from when Pony was injured -- will taking these help? The pain is managed right now, but I'm afraid it may be worse tomorrow.

ETA: this isn't my first fall, but it's the first one where within ten minutes I was already feeling it.


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## Caledonian (Nov 27, 2016)

Oh! I'm glad you're okay. It sounds like it could've been a lot worse. Sorry, can't help you with the medical side.


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## ClearDonkey (Nov 27, 2016)

I like alternating heat & ice with injuries - and the ultimate pain cocktail recommended to me by my doctor was the combination of ibuprofen and Tylenol (Advil Dual Action is this). I usually do two ibuprofen and two to three Tylenol.

Epsom salt baths are a nice treat for back pain, too.

If the pain doesn't subside, _please, please, please_ seek medical treatment. I made the mistake of not going to the doctor when I sprained my hip in a fall, and now I experience pain often in that hip. I'm willing to bet physical therapy would have been on the table for me - I could hardly walk and couldn't get upstairs without crawling and biting my lip. Injuries aren't something to mess with.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

ClearDonkey said:


> If the pain doesn't subside, _please, please, please_ seek medical treatment. I made the mistake of not going to the doctor when I sprained my hip in a fall, and now I experience pain often in that hip. I'm willing to bet physical therapy would have been on the table for me - I could hardly walk and couldn't get upstairs without crawling and biting my lip. Injuries aren't something to mess with.


I don't think it's that bad, but ... how long would you give it to subside? I don't particularly want to go to the doctor.


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## MeditativeRider (Feb 5, 2019)

Hope you feel better soon. My daughter had a fall like that (direct onto the butt/lower back area) and apparently it really hurt.

With NSAIDs, the key is to take them regularly. So make sure you take the two tablets every X hours according to the recommended dosing on the product.

I have no idea how the medical system in the US works for accidental injuries as we never had any when we lived there, but do you need to get it recorded so that there is that note in the system that any pain in this area is related to an injury from an accident? Is your doctor doing phone or online consults?

For the injury protocol, apparently the new thing is BE CALM rather than RICE. I got this from my daughter's dance teacher. THE BE CALM PROTOCOL


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## ClearDonkey (Nov 27, 2016)

ACinATX said:


> I don't think it's that bad, but ... how long would you give it to subside? I don't particularly want to go to the doctor.


I think you will know if you need to go to the doctor - if you have any feeling loss in your back/legs/toes, go ASAP. 

You could have someone palpate your spine - have them press firmly on each vertebrae. You will know if something is tender, trust me.

I bet you will likely be fine, but be mindful of your body, and don't dismiss what it's trying to tell you. I regularly went to the chiropractor when I was riding & falling often, it's a special treat now.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Yeah, I'm telling myself once Covid is over (whenever that might be) I'm going to try to find a chiropractor. Or, get the lady who does my horses' bodywork to work on me. She does humans too.


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## karens1039 (Mar 26, 2018)

Arnica gel really helps with bruising.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

If you can't sit on a straight-back chair...you need to see a doctor.
Padded chairs you will find make it worse, no couch or recliner...nothing soft cause you actually need to protect your coccyx bone right now since I bet you at least bruised it and probably fractured it if you stopped to write this cause your butt and back hurt that much... :shock:
You actually probably need to go to the doctor and they are going to send you for x-rays and possibly scans if you exhibit certain things...
Your butt and lower back are a haven for tiny nerves and any bruising, hurting, bleeding you caused of the fibers can cause you a ton of trouble...
Don't mess around for to long...
I not kid when I write a straight back minimally padded chair, no couch or recliner and you will find standing is preferable to sitting if you did it good...
You will be lying in a bed or sitting at table your favorite locations till you heal...
A doughnut cushion may be in your future too.
Do not contemplate riding for a bit...one bounce and ..._just don't._

:runninghorse2:...


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Now that I've iced it for a while and have taken the ibuprofen it isn't bothering me so much. I think I will take the ibuprofen through tomorrow morning and then re-evaluate. I did land in fairly deep sand, fortunately.

I am going to order to arnica gel just to have around in general. It's something that I've been wanting to try anyway.


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

When I fell off Katie on the one bolt I landed in a puddle and not quite on my butt. But my tail bone hurt for a solid month. It was sore for two weeks... as in sharp pain. But no swelling. I couldn't sit straight or ride. Sitting to drive brought a little bile to the back to my throat but once sat was ok. I've bruised tailbone before though. 

Agree it is most important that pain is at least localised. If you get sharp pains anywhere else in your body (like you shift and it shoots to your toe or arm or up your spine etc or truly takes your breath away) be careful. If there is abnormal swelling do not wait on that either. 

I wish I had thought to try a donut 😛 sleeping was hard as well care in twisting as you shift. I didn't like taking painkillers other than sleeping. I was too afraid of bashing it more as miserable as it made me 😞

Other than that congratulations on surviving! 😛 but dont leave us hanging WHAT HAPPENED WHAT ABOUT THE JUICE? did you do a sliding stop? A spook? Or like one I've done in the past the good old "forget to do the girth up and turn on the centrifuge" as my then instructor said. How big a hole we talking?!!!!


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

LOL. It's a series of tears that together make up something about the size of a 50-cent piece, which is about the same as your 50-pence piece. I think it was a combination of things -- I asked for the canter too abruptly, again, I asked for it in the place where he always likes to duck out (why did I do that???) and there was a new hammock out there. And NOBODY liked the hammock.


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## MeditativeRider (Feb 5, 2019)

Donut cushions are great for sitting with a tender rear end. One of my babies was a posterior birth, which resulted in similar pain for weeks as she really put my lower spine out of whack. A donut cushion was great for sitting on then.

Also, the times I have hurt my back, if you can manage any movement, cat/cow yoga pose is a really good one for pain in that area.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I do not think that the RICE approach has been improved upon much. Rest, Ice, compression, elevation. . . . . for at least the first day, perhaps two.


After that, MOVE. move , . . . minima; walking, stretching, . . hot baths with epsome salts, hot packs, and positive thinking.


I know that the last few times I came off, I felt as if a giant had thrown me hard against a brick wall. I mean, like, seriously. 



there is not short cut. take it easy at first, and then MOVE through the pain. and the fear. 



Blessings to you and to your future riding. Just don't let this get you down. I've come off SEVENTEEN times in SIXTEEN years. Crimeney!!!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I forgot to say, "sorry that you are going through this'. But, I hope you know we all feel for you.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

tinyliny said:


> I forgot to say, "sorry that you are going through this'. But, I hope you know we all feel for you.


Ha, don't worry. I really am just trying to figure out what the best way to treat this is, so I can get back to riding sooner!

I was actually really interested to read that there is now controversy around icing. I had no idea! I'm reading up on that BE CALM now.

OTOH, I do now have an excuse not to ride, as we're in for a series of days with 105+ temps. This is NOT the best time of the year to ride, bleah.


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## MeditativeRider (Feb 5, 2019)

My daughter's dance teacher (ballet) is very into researching all the latest things on injury recovery (like BE CALM), prevention, and strength and mobility. If you want to read up on another interesting area while you are off riding, articles about fascia warmup/stretching versus static stretching are also good. I know, as a child of the 80s, stretching for sport was all about static (held) stretches. Apparently now, the modern way is fascia (moving) warmup/stretches. According to new research, if you do static stretches before exercise, it limits your range of movement rather than increasing it and decreases the muscle function for something like up to an hour after you have done the static stretch. My daughter's dance teacher only lets them do fascia warmup/stretches before class and they can only do static stretches once they are finished class, are well warmed up, and won't be dancing again for the rest of the day. 

I think it would also carry over to riding too. Better to do some moving/breathing stretches pre-ride than held/static stretches. And your recovery—you could look up some fascia stretches for the lower back on YouTube.


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## Jolly101 (Jul 2, 2018)

So glad you are feeling a bit better! I'm also recovering from a back injury and very much missing riding too! I'll probably be wearing a back brace for the first little while back in the saddle, just for some added support in case anything happens.



The first 48 hours (inflammatory phase) ice 10-15min on and 10-15min off. The icing helps slow the inflammatory response (via vasoconstriction) in the first period, slowing swelling, so that inflammatory mediators don't get out of control and cause damage to the tissues nearby, which is most likely in those first 48hours. It also helps slow the initial inflammatory response enough to reduce excessive edema in the area. I think the claims against icing come from the fact that icing too long come from the few studies on it with title that it delays healing, but then conclude their results were not significant or the fact that icing too long or ice directly on the skin does the opposite and can cause tissue damage. It is all in a balance. Heat therapy helps, after the initial stage of injury by means of vasodilation and helps bring oxygen and other healing factors to the injured tissues, thus aiding the healing process. 



Another suggestion I might add if you are able to get it where you live is voltaren. It is a topical anti-inflammatory similar to succeed used for horses. I can get it at my local pharmacy here, but not everyone carries it. the arnica also seems to help alot with the muscle pain. I'm not sure why.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Well, I woke up this morning with my back a lot better but my neck somewhat stiff. I'm thinking that when I fell I must have instinctively braced my neck to avoid hitting my head. I am going to order to arnica, but right now for topical products I have ginger oil. I put that on and it's somewhat better. 

I will try and stay in motion and do stretches. I definitely feel better today. So hopefully I'll be OK to ride soon.


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## Redhead (Feb 11, 2014)

Just got through taking my first aid attendant course. It's ice for the first 24 hrs. 15 min. on, 15 min. off, for 24 hrs. Then it's heat, for the same. It there's no improvement of symptoms, it's back to the ice, again for 24 hrs.
Hope you feel better soon.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Glad you are feeling better. Falling off sucks, I try to only do that in deep snow, it's a super soft landing, lol.
I don't blame you for not wanting to ride in that type of heat. Our heat spell was not as hot as yours, maybe a bit over 80f. I rode two horses back to back as they are boarded at my daughter's, if I am there, I ride both and I like her arena. Afterwards I felt drained. I drank lots of water while riding, got home & drank lots of mojitos, it helped.


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## Smartee Pants (Sep 27, 2019)

ClearDonkey said:


> I like alternating heat & ice with injuries - and the ultimate pain cocktail recommended to me by my doctor was the combination of ibuprofen and Tylenol (Advil Dual Action is this). I usually do two ibuprofen and two to three Tylenol.
> 
> Epsom salt baths are a nice treat for back pain, too.
> 
> If the pain doesn't subside, _please, please, please_ seek medical treatment. I made the mistake of not going to the doctor when I sprained my hip in a fall, and now I experience pain often in that hip. I'm willing to bet physical therapy would have been on the table for me - I could hardly walk and couldn't get upstairs without crawling and biting my lip. Injuries aren't something to mess with.


You can take up to 4 ibuprofen (same a prescription ibuprofen) and 2 Tylenol together


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

You can but you have to increase the amount of time between doses.

I think anything equal or above 600mg is an 8 or 12 hour schedule. I want to say for 800 it is 12.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

AC you jinxed me!!!! I fell today! My fat horse who hasn't been ridden in a while because he threw a shoe, did a big powerful spook out of nowhere while I was talking to my granddaughter. I fell on my butt which is extra padded from all the covid-19 baking and eating. A beer will fix that right up. How are you doing?


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Oh no! I guess falling on one's butt isn't as bad as one's back, especially if it's nice and padded. Did you tear a hole in your pants like I did? I'm glad you are OK.

I'm fine. I was actually only sore for a couple of days, to my surprise. I will ride tomorrow and see. I'll take it slow if I need to.

I hope I don't jinx anyone else LOL.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Nope, no hole, just dust, sand was pretty soft. Thank goodness I didn't put a hole in these because they're brand new jogging pants breeches!!!! When I saw that was in the store I had to get them. I wonder what's next, jammy pants breeches?


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Ooh, those look comfy...


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## MeditativeRider (Feb 5, 2019)

Those do look comfy. I just bought my daughter a pair similar to that (her are Horze Sabina) but did not know they came in adults too. I am all for comfy pants.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

MeditativeRider said:


> Those do look comfy. I just bought my daughter a pair similar to that (her are Horze Sabina) but did not know they came in adults too. I am all for comfy pants.


The brand is Horze.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I'd rather fall on my back than my butt any day. Falling on the butt can mean really reefing your pelvis out of whack, or, using a 'donut' cushion for month. Never underestimate a 'simple' fall onto the 'butt'. When I've landed square on my back I've simply gotten free chiropractic. But, if I land on my butt, uh oh . . . trouble!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I lucked out, almost stayed on, but it was easier to fall than cling. It didn't hurt, granddaughter says "what ya gonna do now Gramma?". I told her I am getting back on so she needed to get off my mounting block. I checked my butt this evening to see if there was a bruise, nope. But I still had a beer in case.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Oh, I know that, the 'prophylactic beer". Just in case.


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## livelovelaughride (Sep 13, 2011)

...nor landing on your tail bone. Horror stories come from doing that....


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## AragoASB (Jul 12, 2020)

"recommended to me by my doctor was the combination of ibuprofen and Tylenol (Advil Dual Action is this). I usually do two ibuprofen and two to three Tylenol."

Please be careful popping more than 2 Tylenols since it can kill people's livers. Some people think if this much Tylenol is good more will be better. Its kind of like having more or too many alcoholic drinks.

The total dose in 2 Duel Action Advils is 500 mg Tylenol and 250mg Ibuprophen every 8 hours.


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