Riding after hysterectomy

alipene

Hi All

I'm 4 weeks post-op from a Total Abdominal Hysterectomy and was just wondering if any riders out there have been in the same position, how long it was before you got back in the saddle, what you could and couldn't manage etc. At the moment I can't even imagine getting on and off :noway: because my tummy is obviously still tender, but there's much more going on inside for a while yet and I don't want to put my recovery in jeopardy by trying to get back into it too soon. Thanks for any advice :happy:

ruralgirl

Probably not much help to you really but I managed to get back on this time 7 weeks after having a cesarean with twins. However it took me much longer after my first cesarean I would say nearer 12 weeks - I think the main thing is when you start to feel more robust and it feels right. Hopefully someone will have some advice having had exactly the same thing for you. Good luck and hope its not too long.

alipene

Thanks Ruralgirl. There must be plenty of similarites with a C section! I'm certainly not going to attempt even getting on until about 8 weeks and certainly not if I don't feel comfortable, but it might be wiser to wait until 12 weeks and then to take it really easy. It's good to know that you can get back to normal after surgery though :happy: I spent a good deal of time in the run up to my op trying to get my core muscles strengthened. Plenty of sitting trot! I'm hoping that will have helped - although it doesn't feel like I've got any muscles at the moment.

grumpers

I waited 12 weeks after a botched laproscopic hysterectomy cut my bladder and turned into a total abdominal one. I was 55 at the time. None of the doctors or nurses had ever ridden so I got very mixed advice and decided to go for the most conservative route. It was most painful getting on and off and my stomach muscles felt very odd indeed--doing sit ups was so painful I cried!--and my balance seemed to have vanished. Unlike you, I had NOT prepared well for the surgery and if anything went in to it a little out of my usual level of fitness.

It never felt right--but this turned out to be because there was a growing peritoneal cyst where the drain had been ;-( . So six months after the first surgery I had a second full ab surgery. At least this time I knew was I was getting into! I started walking the day I got home and got on a tredmill about a week later. I waited 10 weeks and then got back on and just walked around and it felt great in a way it never had after the first surgery . I had to be careful for several months dismounting--not leaning too far forward and not dropping to the ground but being very controlled (which I should have been doing any way). Breeches with front zippers--nope, bad idea.

I do dressage so I eased back into sitting trot and collected work in order not to strain anything and it seems to have worked. It took longer than I expected to get my core strength back, but you look a lot younger than me, so I hope you are back in the saddle and enjoying yourself soon--you CAN come back and you can feel great in the saddle again.

alipene

What a time of it you've had! I'm glad everything is back to normal for you now.

Thanks for a really informative reply I think the way forward is to have a go in a few weeks when I feel comfortable and ready and to take everything gently. It would be irresponsible to do anything else. I'm so glad there is riding after hysterectomy :happy:

grumpers

One of the most frustrating things I encountered was that none of the doctors or nurses had a clue about what horse riding involves in terms of what sort of fitness you need--I got everything from "well, you just sit there don't you?" to "make sure you don't bounce too much." :ohwell: If you are riding a big moving horse or a rough gaited one I can see you might want to give yourself a couple of weeks of doing nothing but walking--that's actually good therapy for you to get those muscles that may have tightened up to relax again. Also, I found that my regular riding breeches with a metal snap and zipper up the front were really uncomfortable so I switched to a pair of pull on riding rights for a while. Now, no problem.

backonbandwagon

I'm out of the saddle at the moment due to an abdominal surgery - nothing like a complete hysto tho.

Dec. 23, 2009 I had an 8lb roll of abdominal fat hacked off via an abdominal lipectomy. Loooved it! Sounds dumb, but I got an infection afterward and went septic, lost a total of 20lbs. Unless you've been overweight your whole life, you don't appreciate that turn of 'bad luck' I'll take it however I can get it. Thankfully I've been able to keep it off. Finally am able to get on my horse w/o a mounting block, which I hadn't been able to do for a number of years. In April 2011 a fistula erupted (I think would be the best way to describe it?), and basically I had a slow leak (light fluid drainage where a surgical drain tube was) for over the past year. It didn't bother me other than being kinda gross... Finally got that repaired last Thursday. All is good so far, no infection. Not being able to ride for 4'ish weeks is going to kill me now that the weather has finally gotten nicer!
Thankfully I have a wonderful rider taking my mare out so at least she won't be losing condition.
I might have started riding a little too soon after that first surgery... still had one drain tube in - the same one that sprouted the leak. I would like to point that there is no medical proof that that is what caused the seroma My story and I'm sticking to it.

This surgery I don't have drain tubes but I am letting people do a bit more for me, although it seems to me that they aren't doing enough ;0) Might have to play it up a bit now The veggie garden needs weeding...

I ride with a number of people who work at the local hospital. I don't think anyone in physio rides tho - that would be handy. I thought about bringing one out, and a massage therapist so they could get a better understanding of the aches we riders go in with.

What kind of riding are y'all into?

alipene

Thank-you guys. Luckily I have both zipped and pull-on breeches .

There definitely is a good deal of confusion among medics about what riding entails. After I had my second child (16 years ago) I remember feeling really good after the natural birth and wanted to get back in the saddle after a couple of weeks but my doctor said no way was I to even try until 12 weeks as all my ligaments need to settle...he obviously understood. With the hysterectomy though, I think they think more about getting on and off and the wound/incision than the the actual riding - because they, as you say, often think we just sit there :ohwell:

I ride a small 20 year old mare (about 14.3hh). She's really sweet and well mannered and will work her socks off for you if you ask nicely. She hates being tapped with the whip though (she bucks if I do), so although I carry one and 'touch' her with it to guide her I never actually 'use' it. So, if I want to canter I need to use a good deal of leg and seat to ask her. That sounds quite demanding in my current state! So I think I'll be walking, then trotting, for quite a while.

As we all know, horses can be spooky, and that sudden jump that catches you off-guard is another potential worry, so I will be sticking to the track and arena!

So what do I do? I only get to ride a couple of times a week. I share her with a friend. Whilst my friend is a 'happy hacker', I love schooling/dressage. I have occasionally entered local prelim dressage competitions, but I'm not really competitive. I actually just love the buzz you get from asking your horse to make a movement from the subtlest of movements. It's all about the bonding and mutual understanding for me . Whilst I am unable to ride, and when I am able to drive (about 12 days time :happy: ) I'm going to have a go at massage and 'horse whispering' (for want of a better word) - can only increase the bond, which should be good for when I get back on.