Nasty leg pain after riding

Does anyone else have to deal with this? After I've been riding hard - say a 3 hour ride at trot, canter, and gallop - if I sit down for more than 15 minutes on a chair, or driving my truck, I get the most unbelievable breathtaking pain in one leg or the other. It's not a muscle cramp. It runs from my groin right down to my ankle and I can't put weight on the leg. It usually takes 15 minutes or so to run its course. Nothing stops it - applying heat, cold, smacking the leg, flexing - nothing! Sometimes I think I must have sat on a nerve in my butt, and other times I think it's my socks or breeches cuffs that are too tight and are cutting something off. I've spoken to a G.P. and an internist about it but no one can figure out what's up.
I'd love to know if any of you have had this happen, and if so, what did you do about it, and what the heck is it?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on November 1, 2010 at 6:51pm

sciatica?

Permalink Reply by Jan Jollymour on November 1, 2010 at 7:02pm

Hi, Linda:

It does sound like sciatic pain, which can be crippling in its intensity. I have not had trouble with sciatic pain for years, but I used to have it, so you have my sympathy!

I just came across the first saddle pad I've ever tried which actually lives up to its claims. I tried the ThinLine Ultra Thin half pad, to help deal with my sacroiliac joint pain, and it is truly amazing. It's inexpensive, can be used on a multitude of horses, is super easy to clean, etc....! For the first time in years I have no hip pain after riding! I have an exercise and stretching program put together for me by Heather Sansom, and I do that in the evenings, and it's helped hugely, but I hurt every day after I finish in the barn until I can get to the workout. The ThinLine pad has relieved the pain in two days, on 4 different horses. You might want to give one a try....

Permalink Reply by Linda White on November 1, 2010 at 7:55pm

Wow - sounds awesome. I will look for it immediately! Thanks, Jan.

Permalink Reply by Deborah Hopkins on November 2, 2010 at 11:02am

Jan, I have hip pain too ... but it is worse after riding in saddles that I suspect are too large for me.
But I will look for that pad you mentioned ... sounds promising!

Permalink Reply by Elaine Flintoff on March 4, 2011 at 3:10pm

Can you provide more info about the ThinLine Ultra Thin half pad....I found two - one they say is for the horses' back, and the other for the rider....which one did you buy and how much is it? My saddler has fit my saddle, so I know her back is fine....I guess I should look for the one for me ???? Any info appreciated....

Permalink Reply by Linda White on March 4, 2011 at 3:27pm

I loaned it to a friend so I don't have it here to look at. I bought it at Greenhawk Harness (Ontario) and it's actually called a half pad. They swear it's for the rider's back, but the horse will benefit as it's a lovely dense pad that will cushion her back. If you google Greenhawk you will see it on sale.

Permalink Reply by Mari on November 1, 2010 at 8:43pm

Wow Linda, you're an impressive over 50 rider for absolute sure. Heck, any age, really. I hope you hear from people who can offer ways they dealt with this problem, but it sounds like the kind of thing that could benefit from acupuncture since it seems to radiate on a meridian. Bodywork (massage) can also work wonders; you probably have empty energy places on your leg muscles with those kind of workouts. I would try both of those first as this is just the type of thing conventional medicine is useless at helping. Good luck to you.

Permalink Reply by Linda White on November 1, 2010 at 10:17pm

Thanks, Mari, I'm willing to try anything. I have regular shiatsu massage but mostly we work on my lower back. I'm convinced I am "crimping" something, somehow pinching a nerve or an artery, but none of the medical people seem to agree.

Permalink Reply by Mari on November 1, 2010 at 10:40pm

Try googling "energy work" and see what you can find in your area. Your bodyworker should be concentrating on your legs rather than your back.
If you had a pinched nerve you would be having numbness in your extremities. The best way to check for that would be a chiropractor. Oy, another alternative modality.
Also, like Jan, I'm a huge fan of ThinLine pads. I use a ThinLine Back on Track pad exclusively. I know it's good for my mare; it's probably good for me too.

Permalink Reply by Margaret Langlands on November 2, 2010 at 4:25pm

If you have access to Thai massage, it might be something to try. I am extremely tight through the lower back and also have sciatic pain occassionally. The Thai massage really sstrrettches the muscles out, making them relax and getting the blood flowing where it might not -- the legs are worked from all four directions from the groin to the toes and from the back to the heel. I then go home and get in a hot tub. Trot, Canter and Gallop can be very hard on your back and tailbone - ever try a gaited horse? Nice rocking motion and good speed - a few of us at my barn have had lots of back, knee, etc. problems and have now gone to the gaited horse for relief as we refuse to give up riding!

Permalink Reply by Linda White on November 2, 2010 at 6:21pm

Thanks Margaret. I'm in the boonies northwest of To, so we're lucky to get any massage. My daughter, however, may have found the answer, a Piriformis Syndrome that describes almost to a T what has been going on and why. I've sent it to my chiropractor and maybe we can figure out a group of exercises to avoid it happening again. I have all winter to learn how to fix this so that the 2011 fall rides will be 100% joy, instead of 100% joy followed by 150% pain!
Check out the article if you are interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piriformis_syndrome

Permalink Reply by Marlene Thoms on November 5, 2010 at 11:44am

Hi Linda, sorry to hear you have this problem. I agree with other posters it could be sciatica. I get a similar pain, which like yours gets worse on a longer ride, especially if there's a lot of down hill on the trail. I have found that a saddle seat that is a little wide for me, makes it worse, and I have a wide barrelly horse. So I found a saddle with a bit more twist. Rather than getting a whole new saddle, try the "hip saver" saddle pad by Heather Moffat. I haven't used it, but I have heard good reports on it. Also changing paces, mixing up a posting trot helps relieve the pressure on nerves in the groin. I also get off my horse at times, especially on a steeper downhill stretch to just help relax my legs, improve circulation, even if it's just for five or ten minutes. The worst thing is this weird pain comes back in the middle of the night, mainly because I have a habit of sleeping on my side with my hips flexed way too much. When I wake up I have to straighten out and oh man that hurts. I've tried loading up on ibuprofen before a ride, but it's only a temporary help, still better than nothing. I have found after several weeks of getting gradually back into better condition the pain has lessened, but in the short term, I hope some of these suggestions help. a good physiotherapist may be able to suggest exercises which help, they are way more knowledgeable than doctors about this sort of thing. Also make sure you are getting lots of Vit D and C, these help muscles and joints recover from overuse.
And yes piriformis syndrome is what mine sounded just like. There are some exercises on the net to help this which give some relief, but you have to keep up regularly with the exercises.