back supports

[eventerbabe]

anyone on here ride with a back support on?? after our rather lively hack yesterday, toby's constant jogging and jolting seems to have agrivated my bad back (i've an exagerated curve at the base of my spine). can anyone suggest a decent back support that comes in reasonable sizes (i'm a size 16)?? i'm in absolute agony today!! many thanks :)

[Loopslou]

I'm a size 16 and top heavy if you know what I mean :D and I wear a racesafe back protector, after a few weeks wear to moulds to your shape and is really comfy. I had a jack ellis one and my osteopath told me only to wear it if jumping because it held me too rigid so every bump on the ride was having an adverse affect on my joints. The racesafe on is flexible but still up to a high standard of protection. Each to their own though, I'm not knocking Jack Ellis but it is very rigid but that may not affect a person without a bad back.

[chapsi]

Occasionally I ride with a Prolite lower back support belt. It helps, but after awhile it tends to make me feel too hot and I sweat like a piggy.

My chiropractor was against me riding with a back support, in his opinion, those devices prevent the back muscles from strenghning.

[eventerbabe]

i was wearing my body protector at the time, but it didn't seem to do much good!!! i've seen a lot of back supports on the market but don't want to get ripped off. also, i don't want a bulky one as it must fit under my body protector (never hack without that on!!).

Loopsolu, my physio instructed me NOT to ride if my back was sore, or got aggrivated by riding, well, thats never gonna happen!!! last year i was banned from riding for 6 weeks, next day i was out having a jumping lesson :rolleyes:

EDIT: chapsi, thanks for that advice. my physio didn't really have anything helpful to say regarding riding with one on, as i mentioned his solution was to completely stop me riding :eek:

[B&R's Mum]

I used to ride in a back support to help me sit up straight, it helped a lot with my position. I used a normal support I got from a local sports shop it wasn't any particular make so wasn't too expensive.

[eventerbabe]

thanks B&R's mum :) my problem is mainly to do with posture, i have to sit up straight and pull in my abs to straighten out the curve in my back and hence reduce the load on my spine. but toby was prancing about so much, my back absorbed the brunt of it. is still hurting today!!

[Loopslou]

I've a touch of arthritis in my spine and basically the consultant said I shouldn't be in the saddle and you can imagine my reply :D

To be honest, when I'm sitting on the horse I'm pain free in my back as my lower back is stretched and supple.

I've started doing a bit of riding without my body protector because I felt it was pushing me into the correct posture and holding me there without my muscles having a say.

I have done a few schooling sessions without it and to be honest amber goes better although I wouldn't dream of jumping without one on and at the moment as amber is having a nightmare season and isn't hacking out that well I'm wearing it while hacking.

[celyns mummy]

i used to suffer from a really bad back from riding, but i stupidly never went to the doctor, as i was scared his reply would be "stop riding" and only being young at the time I was too scared that my parents would willingly oblige to the doctors orders!

But i would'nt be able to stop riding! as long as the people im riding with don't object to my frequent screams of agony then who cares! :D

[jowyles]

I would actually try riding without the body protector because then you can move freely and compensate better, i rode in my body protector for the first time in ages and i felt awful afterwards i had been so restricted by it my stomach felt sooo bad! but then again it is a Jack Ellis one so perhaps thats more evidences of them being too stiff and its not really molded to me anymore :rolleyes: Also why dont they make body protectors for people how have boobs!?