# For those of you with knee pain while riding



## MyBoyPuck

I just rode with longer stirrups and made an effort not to overdo it until my leg was strong again and the knee pain went away. Took 3 years, but I'm glad I did it slow and steady.


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## RoxanneElizabeth

You are right, I have learned that longer stirrups help. I just hope it will go away someday, I would hate to think I would have to tolerate it forever!


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## JustDressageIt

Do you ride English or Western? 
I've been dealing with knee pain since I was a young teen, and since my injury I've been largely out of the saddle. 
What I've found over the years:
- Find a good physiotherapist. A lot of knee pain is due to an imbalance in quads and hamstrings. If you can even yourself out, it can eliminate your pain. This is, in my opinion, the most important element. 
- Use EZ-knee stirrup turners for western saddles, or jointed stirrups for english. 
- Have an instructor go over your position, and see if there isn't something out of line or rotated. 
- Stretch before and after riding, especially your illiotibial band. 
- Stretch as needed in the saddle, if it's safe, or at least do some ankle rolls throughout the ride.


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## RoxanneElizabeth

Do you know of any good stretching websites? Thanks for the help!


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## Poseidon

I used to have a lot of knee pain while riding because in July 2008, I tore my right MCL. It was misdiagnosed and was never fixed surgically, like it should have been. I had taught myself to walk using my hip flexor to carry the weight of my leg, rather than my quadricep. My right quad was extremely deteriorated, so my doctor sent me to a physical therapist. I only actually went to the PT center two or three times, then I was given a sheet of simple exercises to do at home that took about 15 minutes. 

It helped SO much. I have since lost the sheet..but I'll google some stuff to see if I can find similar exercises you can try.


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## Vidaloco

If you're riding in a western saddle, having the stirrups turned properly helps. You can either buy a saddle with them already turned, train them to do it yourself or buy a swivel. I find having them turned helps a bunch. 
I do lower my stirrups some, but that can get dangerous if you're trail riding and your horse spooks sideways. The likelihood of your feet coming out of the stirrups and losing your seat is to easy if your stirrups are over long.


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## RoxanneElizabeth

Thanks Guys! BTW, I ride western...trail riding mostly


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## Poseidon

Found some of the ones I did! Be warned: These sound really easy, but if you have a week quad, it can be a nightmare. I did these about...once a day for a few weeks. I noticed a difference in probably 2 weeks because my right pant leg was tighter around my thigh.
I found them from this website: Knee Pain Exercises

*Quad Strengthening Contractions: *
Sit in chair. Move forward so that you are sitting at edge of chair. Extend legs, heels to floor. Keep knees straight (or as straight as possible if you have arthritis.) Tighten thigh muscles. Hold for count of 10. Relax for count of 3. Do 10 repetitions. You can do this several times throughout the day. You can build up to 2 or 3 sets of 10 repetitions at a time.

*Quad Strengthening Leg lifts: *
Lie flat on back. Bend left knee at 90-degree angle, keeping foot flat on floor. Keeping the right leg straight, slowly lift it until right foot is the height of the left knee. Hold for a count of 3. Repeat 10 times. Switch sides. Work up to 10 sets of 10 over several weeks.

_Safety Tip:
Leg lifts: Lifting both legs at the same time causes excessive stress on your lower back so 
only lift one leg at a time; the opposite leg should be kept slightly bent with foot on floor._

*Quad Strengthening Short-Arc Leg Extensions: *
Sit or lie on floor. Place a rolled up towel under your thigh for support. Keep you leg straight and raise your foot about six inches off the floor. Hold for 5 seconds. Slowly lower your foot, bending your knee. Do 10 repetitions. Switch sides. (NOTE: When I did these, my physical therapist said it's easier to take a coffee can and wrap a towel around it ((mostly for comfort)) and do this.)

One that's not on the site that I did and is ridiculously difficult (but rewarding!) for as easy as it sounds.

Sit with your back flat against a wall and your legs straight out in front of you. I had my hands flat on the ground at my sides. Take the foot you plan on lifting and turn it out at a 45 degree angle and flex it up. Then lift your entire leg about 2-3 inches off the ground and set it back down. I think I did...I want to say 3 sets of 15 of these. Maybe less.


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## RoxanneElizabeth

Yay! thank you!


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## Poseidon

You're welcome!


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## DieselPony

Mis-diagnosed MCL tear here too, I started walking with a swing to avoid bending my knee. And I agree and second everything everyone has said so far, but want to add, walk after you ride.

If I ride and go plop down after I get home, my knee gets very angry. So I get off and hand walk the horse for a cool down if I had a longer/harder ride, walking for un-tacking and feeding wasn't ever enough to loosen and cool down my knee and leg muscles.

I do love those exercises though. Work great to build up proper muscle. I used a knee brace for a while during rides and it helped a bit if I knew it was going to be a long ride.


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## Poseidon

DieselPony said:


> Mis-diagnosed MCL tear here too, I started walking with a swing to avoid bending my knee. And I agree and second everything everyone has said so far, but want to add, walk after you ride.
> 
> If I ride and go plop down after I get home, my knee gets very angry. So I get off and hand walk the horse for a cool down if I had a longer/harder ride, walking for un-tacking and feeding wasn't ever enough to loosen and cool down my knee and leg muscles.
> 
> I do love those exercises though. Work great to build up proper muscle. I used a knee brace for a while during rides and it helped a bit if I knew it was going to be a long ride.


I stopped doing those exercises and started walking with my hip again. I basically have a permanent limp that I can't do much about. Especially in the winter when it gets cold...instant flare up. And ibuprofen bothers my stomach too much to take it, so no anti-inflammatories for me.. 

I would suggest a brace too. It may help. I've tried it and sometimes it works, but my legs are super tiny and the braces are adjustable, but to get them to work I would tighten them too much and cut off circulation, which causes a great deal more pain.


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## ktaylor

Stretching out the knee before and after you ride is key. I have a bad ankle and knee issue every time I ride- but it isn't as bad when I work it out. Good Luck! Hope the pain gets better.


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## QOS

I have rode with Crooked Stirrups when I ride Western. They help tremendously. I generally ride in an Aussie saddle with English type stirrups. I tried my cousins super soft Circle Y a few weeks ago. Even though the leather is super soft it was causing way too much torque in my knee so I got off and changed to my Crooked Stirrups. Wow. What a difference. I rode for 3 hours and my knees were getting sore but went away when I dismounted. 

I am about to order an Allegheny Plantation Saddle. The western look combined with the English stirrups works for me!


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## corinowalk

I love my stirrup swivels. I had my stirrups turned and it helped but when I added the swivels, it make it a bunch better. I also kick my feet loose several times during a long trail ride and allow my leg to stretch down.


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## Poseidon

corinowalk said:


> I love my stirrup swivels. I had my stirrups turned and it helped but when I added the swivels, it make it a bunch better. I also kick my feet loose several times during a long trail ride and allow my leg to stretch down.


I do that all the time. I think I should look into these stirrup swivels.. I've seen them before.


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## Eolith

As more of a pain management measure, don't forget to ice it for 20 minutes 1-2 times a day depending on the amount of discomfort. It can really help.

Also, depending on the cause of your pain you can look into this Back on Track stuff. People have varying opinions on how well it works. I use one of the adjustable knee braces and like it because it gives a bit of support without hindering movement much, and it's pretty much invisible under clothes. Plus, I do think it sort of soothes my aches and twinges. Finally, it wasn't that expensive so I was willing to take a chance on it to see whether it could save me from some pain. >> Back on Track pain relief products horse saddle pads, equine products, blankets, leg wraps, boots, fir healing for pain relief

Honestly, the best thing for MY knee is to keep moving, but this can be different from person to person. Over the holidays I was on vacation visiting family and wasn't running around all over the place like I usually do... and what do you know, my knee starts flaring up and being grumpy. Since getting back into my active routine, it seems to be settling down again.


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## MyBoyPuck

If you're just walking along, kick that foot out of it's stirrup and give the knee a rest. That helped a lot for me.


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## beau159

I personally don't have knee pain when riding Western, but my mother does. She takes glucosamine daily and that works for her knee pain most of the time. She immediately can tell when she's forgotten to take her glucosamine or when she runs out because her knees start to hurt when she rides!

So I don't know what the cause of your knee pain is, but supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin might help you. 

On very long rides, it also helps her to get out of the saddle and walk for a bit ... or switch horses/saddles when riding with me just to get into a different position for a while and then switch back.


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## RhondaLynn

I rode western, used a stirrup straightner, padded bottom of stirup and had it let out as long as I could. My right knee STILL hurt after a ride, especially if there was a lot of downhill riding. 

Then almost by accident I borrowed a saddle, it was a Amish made trail saddle (Henry Miller saddle)that had English stirrup leathers with the padded trail stirrups, my knees don't hurt at all now! I assume it was the English stirrup leathers that made the most difference.

Rhonda


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## bellagris

I didn't read all of these posts, but I have knee problems. I have patella femoral syndrome in both knees from sports and so when I ride my knees can get really sore, especially on a rounder horse or in some wider western saddles. 

One thing I found that works amazingly well for knee pain (i haven't had any pain since the summer when I started taking it) is Magnesium pills. Magnesium is great for joint strength and i have had amazing results with it as well as another lady at the barn who had knee problems has gotten rid of her pain as well.


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## RoxanneElizabeth

Thank you EVERYONE for all the great advise!!!


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## saddlebuilder

*saddle changes*

One of the things I've found over the years is that knee pain or back pain can be lessend or completely done away with by changes in the stirrups and straps.
A balanced ride stirrup for western saddles is one of my biggest sellers for those experiencing knee or back pain. It offers a stirrup swing with less resistance and more flexability.
As recommended in other posts, changing the stirrup angle or the twist will also help by offering less resistance to the sides of the knees. This can be done by "training the leather" which can take time, or by using a "twist" which is faster and more permanent. Aftermarket adapters are available from Weaver leather that make stirrup twisting easy.
I cannot agree with a longer stirrup, unless your stirrup straps are too short to begin with. This can cause a number of other problems including the way you sit and ride in your saddle which can effect your horse.


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## breezystar

Sweet. Glad I decided to read this thread. lol Some of this might help.

I have bad joints genetically. XD So most joints in my body pretty much hurt 100% of the time. I also fractured my tail bone twice and injured my lower back after I fell off a bike when I was younger... I've ALWAYS had bad knees. Even as a little kid, at about 5 years old. They said it was all growing pains, but just recently they thought it was an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis... but now they say I just have 'loose' or 'floppy' joints... who knew it could hurt so bad!!! I really need to work on building muscle to help support my joints and I thought riding would help. But of course I need to prepare myself for even riding. lol


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## Azaria

If you ride western TURN YOUR STIRRUPS!!!  All the years I suffered knee pain (injured knee made worse by surgery) I rode in saddles with twisty stirrups. Ouch! A year ago I ended up with a great saddle and when my first, second and third ride in it left me with NO knee pain I figured out it was because the stirrups had been properly turned and sat perfectly without twisting my knees! I'm actually turning the stirrups on another saddle today!


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## RhondaLynn

Azaria, you can by "stirrup straight" it is a metal piece that turns the stirrups for you and they STAY turned!! well worth the $$$.

Rhonda


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## Jacksmama

When I was 11 I jumped down the stairs at school and broke the growth plate in my right ankle. I was put in a boot for a while and it healed, though both of my ankles have always been very weak. When I was about 19-20 I started having severe knee pain and after a few years of dealing with it(I know, I shouldn't have waited) I went to the doctor and found out that presumably when I broke my ankle it chipped a piece of bone off of my thigh bone and it had floated around under my knee cap long enough to do some serious damage. The tendon that goes straight over my knee cap is also under an enormous amount of tension(born that way) which causes my knee caps to track in a very odd way. I finally had surgery, they cleaned out the bone fragments and released the tension on one of my knee caps, and 3 months later I started riding. I could only manage it with a brace in the beginning, but gradually it got stronger and now it's about 90% of what it once was. I still have pretty bad pain if I ride for long periods of time, but stretching and kicking my feet out of the stirrups throughout the ride give me a lot of relief. I find that it's worse when I ride Western. 

The BEST thing I have ever found is my cryo cuff. I got it after the surgery and it does wonders. It looks like a brace, but it hooks up to a little cooler you fill with ice and water and the water fills the brace. You wouldn't believe the difference it made in swelling right after surgery. I highly recommend it!


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## AlexS

I don't have any knee injuries but I do have knee pain when I ride. I asked my trainer to watch me and I am not doing anything funky but I get sore and I click and grind after riding. 
I thought it was just me, but since I have been a member of this forum, there have been quite a few threads about knee pain. 

Many people swear by jointed stirrups, and I had hoped for some from the Hub for Xmas, but I guess I didn't hint loud enough!  

I am by far too lazy to try the exercises, so if anyone else does, let me know how they work as if they are a miracle I will give them a go.


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## Rachel1786

I've had knee pain for years, when i was 12 i asked my doctor about it and he said it was growing pains, now at 25, i still have knee pain, i have a tendency to force my heels down when i ride, and i notice that if i do not force them down my knees don't hurt as bad after i ride, i don't know what causes my knee pain, i haven't asked the dr about it since i was 12 lol


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