REALLY? An injury… NOW?!
I’m sure all of you have said that at one time or another. I mean, when is a good time for an injury? And for me, now… it is the ILILOTIBIAL BAND. Or more commonly known as:
IT Band.
That’s what’s wrong with me, and I’ve never even heard of it. I never knew I had it!
Oy, this is painful.
UGH
Considering that I still have all of my limbs, I’m not that bad off. It is just that one of them is acting like its hinges are rusted.
It started with a tingling down my left leg and a pain in my hip. I ignored it, as one does… and my body responded by seizing and not allowing me to use that leg, at all… “Fine, if you don’t want to pay attention to this, TAKE THAT!” I was immobile.
This was about 3 weeks ago. I knew I was going to meet Dalton and I knew I’d want to work him on the ground and in the saddle. But not like this…
First, I had to figure out what was wrong.
So, instead of going to the doctor, I started researching the symptoms on Dr. Google (always dangerous…). When I realized I probably had sciatica, I took a bunch of Advil and babied it.
That didn’t work. Hmmmm. Maybe it isn’t sciatica. Maybe I need to go see someone other than Dr. Google who knows about these things because…
…time was running out.
So, I called Jeannett Burrows who does Therapeutic Massage Craniosacral – Acupressure – Reiki -Neuromuscular for humans, horses and dogs. She was so AMAZING with BG, I figured couldn’t hurt and would most likely help – I could use an educated tweak. However, Jeannette couldn’t come for a week… so I was going to meet Dalton anyway, hobbled or not.
For me, it burns at my outer hip, groin and down the outside of my leg to my knee.
DALTON Meet and Greet. Gorgeous Youth meets Hobbled, Twisted Human.
On the meet and greet with Dalton, I was in agony, but I kept it to myself. It is truly tough to be fluid when you – aren’t. Once I was in my car on the way home, I cried.
Two days later was the riding day. It wasn’t as bad, but when I got off, I could barely walk.
This was not fun. I needed to be fixed to enjoy Dalton – and all the other moments of my day.
Everything labeled, hurts. There is no way my knee will roll or lay to the outside.
ENOUGH ALREADY. I’LL DO ANYTHING.
Jeannette came yesterday. She put me on a massage table and went to work. I felt like an Olympian with the team doctor. I swear, she puts her ALL into it. Now I know why the horses love her!
It was tough, but I felt GREAT afterwards and I could walk without pain. She told me it would come back and that I had to do these exercises 3x a day.
It did and I did.
THE NEXT DAY, TODAY, I RODE DALTON AGAIN.
I was much better, but still wonky and not fluid. For some reason, I thought riding him in a bareback pad would be less painful.
I was wrong, but it was fun anyway. And, when I got home I did my exercises. When I get up, I’ll do the same…
You know what they say, “At least you have your health…”. I’m going to remember that.
Sweetbeau Horses has a cute Western Town facade. Here we are, getting a drink. (It is tough to take his pic)
Here we are at one end of the arena. He hates arena work…
Here he is, contemplating going all the way to the other end…
After the arena, I got off to do some of the exercises Jeannette gave me. Dalton was with me, looking on and eating my hair.
Then we went outside and checked out what was going on around the ranch.
After a few hours of barebacking around, I put him away. This is his ‘goodbye’ face.
Thank you for taking the time to write this!!
I have had these kind of problems for years. I use a combination of Homeopathy, stretching daily, Chinese Herbs and the most amazing help has come from Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate. Most people are deficient in Magnesuim . It is hard to absorb internally without getting diaherria, but is best absorbed trans-dermally and will stop a muscle spasm instantly. The best one I have found is called EASE, available on Amazon.. Also, warm Epsom Salts baths 1 time weekly for 20 min is good. modernherbshop.com offers a remedy called SciaticAid that is also helpful. A lot of people store emotions in their muscles when we have high emotional stress..who never gets that!!! Hope this helps.
I have no idea…
Did you do something to yourself to acquire this injury? Fall down, trip, or overdo it one day? I’m just wondering why something so painful and disabling would come on.
This horse has the cutest ears.