hi I had OHS a month ago…..now hear me out I’m not going riding yet!
I am a keen rider and I have spoken to the doctor and they are happy for me to ride as long as I am not alone.
My questions are: anyone in a similar situation? Does anyone have any tips to prevent injury? Has anyone used a body protector and if so what would you recommend?
Hi Chloe,
Glad to hear you’re a month post op and feeling well enough to begin thinking about when you could potentially return to riding.
However, please be mindful that your poor body has just been through a major trauma and it is still very early days with regard to your recovery journey. I had the same surgery as you last June and my sternum and ribs still twinge - 17 months down the line. The thought of being at a livery yard - even now, would fill me with apprehension.
My Hubby would refer to our Daughter’s horse - as “A big animal with a small brain” - which was a fair description of him t.b.h. He would spook at the most ridiculous things and having 95 stones on the end of a lead rein - spinning, bucking or rearing because he didn’t like the way the leaves were rustling that day - would be no fun with a broken sternum! If you were to have a fall - just the jarring to your chest wouldn’t bear thinking about - even with a body protector. So, my top tip to avoid injury, is to stay away from the yard for as long as possible - however much you miss your furry friend! Allow your body the time it needs to heal. (Sadly, this isn’t a quick process). Rehab Classes if offered by your hospital are really worthwhile and then the Phase 4 ones out in the community, if available. See how fit and well you feel at that point, to enable you to decide whether you have then regained the stamina to ride.
Take care and get well soon. ❤️🩹
Thank you for your response!
Once your sternum has healed your biggest risk is probably internal bleeding (I assume you’re on warfarin?). So yeah, body protector and hat are probably the order of the day. (I’d call it a “helmet”, but my show jumping daughter assures me it’s a “hat”. 🙄)
When I talked to my surgeon about skiing his only concern was the warfarin/bleeding aspect. He said the valve will be fine.
thank you!
I asked my cardiologist at 8 weeks post HA and stent fitted. He said not for a while due to risk of being knocked and internal bleeding from blood thinners. Def not for the year I am on prasugrel anti clotting. 😞 so I guess it's the blood thinners too that will affect the when you cam get back on any saddle xx
Hello Chloe, I belong to a heart surgery Facebook group,I can send you the link, and one of the ladies there is a keen rider and has a mechanical valve. Because of her blood thinners, she wears a body protector and no more does cantering or jumping with her horse. She says it's just not worth the risk. Her horse is also very placid.
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