# Pain when I ride...



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Have you had some previous injury to that knee that may be causing your current problems? I would suggest that you go to the Dr. and have it checked out. That locking up thing is very not cool, that could be an indicator of loose cartilege, bone chip, or early onset arthritis. Please go to the doc and have it checked.


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## Tayz (Jan 24, 2009)

I have a bad knee. I find a knee brace or as some people call it, a knee guard, helps alot.
If the pain comes back I would go see a doctor. My knee got so bad that it collapsed underneath me and I fell down and all my friends were terrified and yelling at me "are you alright?". It was a nasty fall too. I would defiently get it checked out, just to be on the safe side...


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Seeing a doctor is certainly the proper thing to do. The pain can easily come from the stiffness of the saddle leathers and the fact it is trying to return to it's original position of being flat against your horse and facing in.

There are several add-ons that you can use to swivel the stirrups so that it takes the stress off your ankle - knee - hip. The Country Horse - Aluminum Stirrup Turners *** KNEE SAVER ~ STIRRUP TURNERS *** Redi Stirrups Stirrup Turners: Saddles Tack Horse Supplies - ChickSaddlery.com

OR, you can do it for free using this method: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-tack-equipment/turning-western-stirrups-17669/


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## BackInTheSaddleAgain (Apr 20, 2009)

Definitely see a doctor *(I should take my own advice, right?)* I have the same problem in my knee... rather scary... especially when I was pregnant and living on a third floor. Anyway, it bothers me most on a horse. I was told by a doc several years ago, that I may have a lack of cartilage in my knee, causing the bones to rub together. It could be a number of things causing knee/ankle pain, but none to be taken lightly. It's best to get these things seen and hopefully taken care of. Added age only depletes healing proficiency and increases pain ={


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## twogeldings (Aug 11, 2008)

I actually did go and see a doc about my knee x-O It locked up really bad in the middle of class and my parents took me to a clinic who then sent me to a knee specialist. 

He mumbled something medical and sent me home o-o absolutely no help what-so-ever. I didn't honestly didn't under stand a single word he said. Then he brought out a plastic knee joint and said that this thing slips sometimes under this thing...

It was still severely locked when I got home, and unlocked in my sleep, probably from unknowingly stretching it.


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## ponyboy (Jul 24, 2008)

Do you have one leg shorter than the other? I had pain in one leg because of that. I have to ride with uneven stirrups.


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## BackInTheSaddleAgain (Apr 20, 2009)

Hmmm. Mayb'e THAT'S why my stirrups always feel uneven when they aren't!


ponyboy said:


> Do you have one leg shorter than the other? I had pain in one leg because of that. I have to ride with uneven stirrups.


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## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

Try not to push too much into your heel. Instead, think of having a flat board underneath your foot that your entire foot is balanced over. When you cram your heel down in an un-natural way, your whole leg stiffens. There is no shock absorbing abilities. 
The reason why the outside of your ankle hurts, is because you may need to "shim" your stirrup. That is putting a wedge on the top of your stirrup so that your foot sits level in the stirrup. 
Most western saddle stirrups are angled, like this:








You want a level stirrup, so your foot can be flat. Like this:








So, in your case, I think you would put a shim (1-3 layers of cardboard secured in place by vet wrap) on the outside of your stirrup to prevent your ankle from rolling out and putting unnecessary pressure on the outside of your ankle. But to know for sure, you would look at your stirrups from the front, like in the first picture. In that picture, the shim would go on the inside to make it level. Make sense?
Here is a picture of a shimmed stirrup where the foot is balanced flat.









Here is the article where this information came from:

Wendy Murdoch - No.18 Level your stirrups for a solid foundation


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Koomy, there is actually a stirrup that is made just for that purpose (Western at least) CrookedStirrups.com - Authentic, Original, Patented, Crooked Stirrups! Patented Western Saddles

When I rode English, there was a wedge shaped tread that you substituted in your irons.


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## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

Well, hey, there ya go!


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Definitely get those stirrups turned. I had constant knee pain till I did mine. It you can't turn them (synthetic) then get the mechanical ones.


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## DarkEquine (Aug 29, 2008)

I've got a similar problem and its a pain in the ****!! I tore the medial meniscus cartlidge in my left knee about six weeks ago and I haven't been able to ride since! I was an idiot about two weeks ago and tried to go back to dance class...It clicked in an out and then swelled like a BALLOON almost at once. Idiot...What I'm trying to say is that if is from a past injury, take baby steps in your recovery. If it hurts when you're cantering, try just trotting for a while. If it's hurting when you trot, try just walking...if that...try just walking (not on a horse). You might need to strengthen some muscles in your left leg before you'll be able to put the full weight in the stirrup again.
Sucks, I know (BELIEVE me) but baby steps work...


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