# Sprained my ankle while riding



## 4horses

I was having a wonderful ride today. The weather was beautiful, and there were flowers blooming everywhere. We trotted out a couple miles and were out in the middle of a field when a near disaster struck. We were walking along, looking for the path back to the main trail. A vulture flew overhead and its shadow moved in front of us. Harmony spooked and spun. She really isn't a spinner and i was not expecting it- not at all. I had a moment of I'm doomed followed by.... wait....I'm still on the horse. Bless Harmony she felt me falling and stopped like a statue. My previous horse used to spin out from under me and bolt off. This is not the first time Harmony has saved me from eating dirt. The last time we had a near spill she stopped dead while i dangled half way off.

I'm fine except for my ankle. My saddle is an endurance hybrid with western fenders and English breakaway stirrups. When she spun right, my weight shifted left and my ankle twisted. I'm not sure if the breakaway stirrups contributed. The breakaway strap on the stirrup came off. I made a stupid decision to get off and look for it- i had painted it red. As soon as i touched ground i realized i was in trouble. I wasn't going to be able to walk out of there and how do you get back on? My parents weren't home and I didn't want to call for help. It's just a sprained ankle, after all.

I found the strap right away. Slowly made my way back to the main trail and luckily there was a huge log to climb up on. Harmony was being really good for me so we went ahead and rode back. 

I think i sprained the outside of my ankle. The inside feels okay, the outside is sore and swollen. No bruising yet. This is not the first time I've sprained an ankle. I did it before when i got thrown from my previous horse, but i always assumed it was from hitting the ground, i never imagined you could sprain an ankle without leaving the saddle! 

I still had to trailer Harmony home, feed the horses, and pick up and unload a round of hay, then drive into town to pick up my mom from the bus station. I managed to get everything done, if in slow motion. I found a cane to hobble around on. I think there are crutches in the attic somewhere but i didn't think it was worth climbing the ladder to get them. My dad must have felt sorry for me because he cooked dinner - something he never does unless it involves the grill. Thank you dad! 

I'll see how it feels in a couple of days. With my history of sprained ankles, i usually feel better in about 3 days. If not better by then, i guess i will be going in. I used to run track in high school. My tendency to sprain my ankle and the fact that I tore a ligament on the inside of my foot was the reason I stopped running. It took 2 years for that ligament to heal. I'm not noticing any pain near that ligament so it appears to have been spared this time.

I'm hoping for a quick recovery. And I'm so thankful Harmony stopped. One more step and i was a goner. That is probably the worst spook she has ever done with the exception of the time when she bolted out from under me as a 2 year old. I don't count that as she was a baby and she stepped on the hose which turned on and shot water at her. But accidents happen, even on the best horse.


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## tinyliny

I once sprained my ankle while horseback when I was trotting along riding bareback, and another person was moving quickly toward me, on an out of control horse, on a narrow trail. MY foot caught in HER stirrup and whipped around so fast! Sprained!

My friend actually BROKE her foot in exactly the same type of accident. I would have broken mine , but I was 14 at the time, and very 'flexible'.


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## ChieTheRider

I got a sprained ankle from riding but it was because I was riding in the pasture and another horse kicked at my horse and caught my foot. 

- don't do that -

Hope your ankle gets better! At least it's not broken like in tinylily's example. Yikes.


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## Hidalgo13

Wishing you a quick recovery too! Your horse is an angel by the way. Despite your medial (inner) ankle being injured a while back, it's difficult to sprain both medial and lateral ligaments at the same time. Not impossible, just less likely, unless your ankle went in multiple directions. If there is no pain on your inner side, i think there is a very good chance it was spared, and you need not worry. 
Please let us know how it progresses over the next few days!


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## mmshiro

Ibuprofen and vet wrap! That stuff is miraculous!! It's comfortable (well, if you wear it over socks rather than next to the skin) and it effectively immobilizes your ankle without cutting off circulation.


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## Hidalgo13

mmshiro said:


> Ibuprofen and vet wrap! That stuff is miraculous!! It's comfortable (well, if you wear it over socks rather than next to the skin) and it effectively immobilizes your ankle without cutting off circulation.


If you need something for the pain, I'd suggest acetaminophen. Recent studies have shown that taking anti-inflammatory meds decrease the strength of the tissues being healed. However I do believe that was for long term use, not sure if it will affect tissues if taken for a few days only, but it's good to be aware. To a certain extent, the inflammation your body is producing is not bad. It is it's way of cleaning up the damaged tissue, to prepare the lay down of new tissue. To control swelling, elevating your leg is a good way to help your body naturally drain the area, as well as gentle moving your ankle in it's pain free zone to increase circulation.


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## mmshiro

Hidalgo13 said:


> If you need something for the pain, I'd suggest acetaminophen. Recent studies have shown that taking anti-inflammatory meds decrease the strength of the tissues being healed. However I do believe that was for long term use, not sure if it will affect tissues if taken for a few days only, but it's good to be aware. To a certain extent, the inflammation your body is producing is not bad. It is it's way of cleaning up the damaged tissue, to prepare the lay down of new tissue. To control swelling, elevating your leg is a good way to help your body naturally drain the area, as well as gentle moving your ankle in it's pain free zone to increase circulation.


It's irrelevant - you only take it while you are on the horse. Ibuprofen doesn't have liver toxicity like acetaminophen.


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## knightrider

@4horses, what a bummer! When you said yesterday you had injured your ankle, I wondered if you had done it on horseback (or off). Good for Harmony!! I love her more than ever now. Feel better soon. I will PM you about tomorrow.


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## Hidalgo13

mmshiro said:


> It's irrelevant - you only take it while you are on the horse. Ibuprofen doesn't have liver toxicity like acetaminophen.


Well neither drug is without it's side effects. Ibuprofen is really bad for your gut, among other things (sorry OP going off topic a bit here).


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## mmshiro

Hidalgo13 said:


> Well neither drug is without it's side effects. Ibuprofen is really bad for your gut, among other things (sorry OP going off topic a bit here).


Which is why you only take it when you go to ride. Ulcers etc. are usually long-term side effects and, according to "Medical News Today", 

_Ibuprofen's painkilling [sic] effects begin soon after taking a dose. The anti-inflammatory effects can take longer, sometimes several weeks._

So taking it for acute pain ("to take the edge off") does not appear to interfere with the body's healing response at all.

Obviously, if you need long-term pain management, you have the kind of injury that should have been seen by a doctor. But if you can suck it up while sitting on the couch and going about your business, and you just want to be able to put your foot in the stirrup for a walk-only ride (which is what I did), it seems to be an excellent option. 

I am perplexed why you would recommend acetaminophen _over_ ibuprofen rather than as alternative, say. You seem to have made no particularly strong case in its favor.


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## AnitaAnne

@4horses that was a freak occurrence, but any kind of sudden twisting movement can cause a sprain. Walking on it should help healing as long as you don't overdo it. Non weight bearing activity like swimming is better though. A supportive wrap will help minimize the chance of a reoccurrence, and elevation while not walking will decrease the edema. Would not put vet wrap aka coban directly on skin, should only be over padding, just like a standing wrap. 

You may already know all of the above...

Short term use of low dose NSAID or Tylenol can be helpful for a couple of days. 

Personally I have never liked the band style safety stirrups. I really love my EZ endurance stirrups with cage. Mine are the plastic ones, very light weight and roomy. 

My eldest DD was kicked by a strange horse in the opening parade at the Kentucky Horse Park on the very first day of the pony club championships. (many years ago) The horse was aiming at her pony but caught her straight in the ankle. It was a very hard kick as the pony had swelling too! My DD was only 9 at the time and was unable/unwilling to compete :frown_color:


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## Hidalgo13

mmshiro said:


> Which is why you only take it when you go to ride. Ulcers etc. are usually long-term side effects and, according to "Medical News Today",
> 
> _Ibuprofen's painkilling [sic] effects begin soon after taking a dose. The anti-inflammatory effects can take longer, sometimes several weeks._
> 
> So taking it for acute pain ("to take the edge off") does not appear to interfere with the body's healing response at all.
> 
> Obviously, if you need long-term pain management, you have the kind of injury that should have been seen by a doctor. But if you can suck it up while sitting on the couch and going about your business, and you just want to be able to put your foot in the stirrup for a walk-only ride (which is what I did), it seems to be an excellent option.
> 
> I am perplexed why you would recommend acetaminophen _over_ ibuprofen rather than as alternative, say. You seem to have made no particularly strong case in its favor.


I suggested it, as when i read your post I wasn't under the impression that you meant it only for riding (I am not sure if you mentioned it, I read over it quickly). I said what I said, as a lot of people tend to over do the anti-inflammatory meds when they get injured and having swelling (and on the long term I consider acetaminophen to be lesser of 2 evils if the person does not have liver issues), which is why I said what I did. Of course if meds can be avoided, it's always best. But for occasional pain relief, and without relying on it, taking either tylenol or advil will be fine. Anyhow I don't want to create a huge thing over this. I see what you are saying, and now that I understand what you meant, :iagree: with you.


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