Got kicked, can't ride, muscles????

Question

so, about 2 weeks ago, i got kicked and fractured 3 bones in my face. my sinus was taken out and skin was put in there, to pillow my eyes...only the left. anyhow, i was wondering if anybody had suggestions on how to keep my leg muscles in tact, so i'm not too loose, bc i do want to finish the season in showing, and also, if anybody else has the same problem, how many days did the doc tell you to wait before riding, again?

also, i have had this looseness problem beforehand and was just fixing it, before Doc (ironic, huh) kicked me. any suggestions, too, other than no-stirrups, when i get back to riding?

Thanks!!!!

Answer 1

Ouch!  Glad you're alive to tell the story.  

What do you mean you had "this looseness problem beforehand" ?  Do you mean that your seat wasn't real secure??

If you want to keep yourself riding fit while your face recovers, you can do squats and thrusts for quads and glutes, and toe raises on the edge of a staircase for your calf muscles.  Incorporate stretching so your hamstrings and quads (and all the other muscles) don't get inflexible from relative inactivity.

Don't think you want to do a lot of really kinetic stough like jumping rope or jogging, as bouncing around may not feel too good as your face is probably pretty sore.

If you have access to a pool, swimming would be excellent.

As for part 2 of the quesion, I have been kicked in the face, but not with as much damage as you sustained, so it didn't interrupt my riding.  Other various other injuries (fractured rib, clavicle, vertabrae, ummmm, the list goes on a bit - )  the time off, if taken at all, was determined by whether riding would inhibit the healing process significantly.  And if the time off would even help at all.  Remember Julie Krone?  They told her she'd never ride again, and she was galloping 6 months (I think) after the horrific accident.  And Chiacchia is riding and competing again.  So the answer will depend a lot  how tough and determined you are to get back out and ride.

Hope you recover well, and your back in the saddle soon!

EDIT:  regarding your additional details, You should listen to the dr., esp if you're underage.  If you're over 18, well,  I always started riding (and running and working out) a LOT sooner than the doctors recommended.  You have to go by how you feel, and to use some common sense - (hopefully you have some of that!).  Good luck.

Answer 2

ouch sorry for that but the doc told me 45 days to 65 days and NO sonner

Answer 3

I'm sorry to hear that :[. When one of my family members was kicked [not even the face, the arm] it took 6 months to heal, and that was with a manipulation. Sorry, but I doubt you'll be riding anytime soon.

Answer 4

I honestly think you should contact your physician before trying that.