sore knees after riding

[Lucy J]

i know i've just had another birthday and am growing out of my teenage fit body (28 so not ancient) but recently my knees have got really sore when I have been riding. i had lessons over the summer where i was told i was closing my knees on too much and i had to relax, so now i keep me knees more open and less gripping, so you would think i would ache less, but when i dismount the inside of my right knee really hurts. any ideas? i've never experienced this before, the only thing i sometimes get (usually when jumping or if i am riding too short) is a shin splint/an excruciating pain in my left shin bone which i first developed when i rode racehorses. so i am a little perplexed by this. almost feels as if it has been twisted. any ideas?

[rohan]

It sounds like you might have twisted it alright some rest and ice might help or you could try a knee support one with open back I found them helpful when i did my knee.

[Lucy J]

perhaps it is riding without warming up in the cold weather. i would like to think it is a temporary setback and not permanent.

[Afellpony]

Mine hurt too but I've got arthritis in my knees from all the walking that I do. In fact, I think I'm going the same way as my mother did, getting arthritis all over my body - eventually. I do Yoga stretches and exercise twice a day and that seems to be helping quite a lot.

[Luv 2 Trot]

I have the same thing, in my right knee as well. Usually once or twice a month my knee will act up for 2-4 days and then it will stop. Its been going on for over a year and i cant figure out whats wrong with it. I went to the doctors and they didnt find anything wrong. I would suggest going to your doctor if it doesnt stop hurting within 3-4 days.

[Shadowlark]

Stretch before you ride my dear.. I am the same age, and I am riddled with Arthritis - but between careful management and good stretching practices I get on just fine :) If I don't stretch before, I know the moment I hit the ground..

[ImaLittleBoston]

Wow. I'd like to know whats up wit my knees now, After riding an ex-cart horse I trail ride sometimes, my knees are usually sore, But I always thought it was the saddle and the way I had it adjusted to me.

[Shadowlark]

Don't rule out Stirrup position! Lowering them to ride for long periods, or just kicking out for a while to rest the joint is excellent practice!

[Skib]

Pain in one knee or both can be referred pain, coming from the nerves to your spine.
Usually once or twice a month my knee will act up for 2-4 days and then it will stop. Its been going on for over a year and i cant figure out whats wrong with it. I went to the doctors and they didnt find anything wrong. I would suggest going to your doctor if it doesnt stop hurting within 3-4 days.

It took the medics ages to discover that my problem was not in my knees but in my back.

So there is a dilemma in horsemanship. You dont know which it is.

If you shorten your stirrups you put more weight in your feet.
But if you lengthen them you put more weigh on your seat and spine.

If your knees hurt only after a long ride and you have a lot of weight in your stirrups - the solution is to shake your feet free of the stirrups, or lengthen your stirrups and rest your legs.

Yes, I do this. But I know that my real problem isnt in my knees.
When I ride I am careful to sit on my seat bones and support my spine upwards. If my back hurts when I first get on a horse, I do rising trot and that cures it. If the column of your back it straight and well supported, that should sort out the pain in your knees.

The damage has probably come from something other than riding. Slouching at the computer or when I am a passenger in a car is what damaged me and the first sign was that my knees hurt just as you describe.

[helenc]

Pain in one knee or both can be referred pain, coming from the nerves to your spine.



I was just about to say that a lot of what people think are problems in the knees are actually back problems!

The fact that you were gripping with your knees suggests this too - I'd guess that you have lower back or hip issues (maybe an injury, maybe you're just not very supple in that area) & that was the cause of you gripping - now that you are working to keep your knees off of the saddle, the weakness in your back/hips is showing itself.

If I were you I'd be taking myself off for some physio - do you have a physio for your horse? If you do then ask if they still practice on humans because he/she will have a better idea of the position you sit in & the actions of your legs whilst riding.

[eml]

Sprenger stirrups!!

Daughter has shin splints from over running on roads when at school (did 100 miles in a term as a charity challenge!) Riding with normal stirrups she is in agony after about 15 minutes but can go all day with her sprengers.

[Luv 2 Trot]

Huh, i never thought it could be coming from my back. I did drop my stirrups a hole tonight and it seemed to help some.

[mommadog1956]

"Cashel EZ Knees"

i know they've been talked about on another post, but i just got mine for christmas. we had bought a pair ourselves, but they didn't fit my stirrups:mad: , so i sold them to my friend, who absolutely loves them. she said her knees do not hurt at all after using them. so i asked for a pair for christmas. she and i ride many miles, when we do ride, and after only a few miles, both of us are complaining about our knees hurting. its not always age :D , she is 34 and i am 50, so there is a huge age gap.

they come in 2½" and 3" and they attach to your stirrup fenders. western only i think. there are other brands out there, but these seem to be the least expensive and still work great.

just a thought!!! i can't wait to try mine out. :D