The snowball effect of a pulled muscle in my back

Ever since I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) at age 22, I’ve been told that horseback riding is good for me; it’s the falling that’s not.

No one likes to fall, but it’s a part of riding. Injuries are a risk associated with any sport, although some sports carry a higher risk than others. I always do my best to minimize my risk by riding only well-trained and mild-mannered horses and by wearing safety equipment such as my air vest.

My horse Cherry is wonderful. She’s steady, safe, and rarely does anything sassy. But even the safest horses are living, breathing creatures that feel and react, and sometimes things happen. A few weeks ago, Cherry and I landed a small jump, and she took one more stride before hitting the brakes and sliding to a stop. But my forward momentum sent me toppling over her head.

It happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to react. I heard my air vest deploy just before I hit the ground. Because EDS increases my chance of injury, I never jump without my air vest. It’s like a wearable air bag that inflates in a fraction of a second and protects my torso, spine, neck, and tailbone. Nothing is foolproof, of course, but the vest makes a big difference.

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Assessing the damage

I quickly realized that I wasn’t seriously injured, but the wind had been knocked out of me more than it had been in years. I sat on the ground, damp arena sand sticking to me, and Cherry stood nearby with a look on her face that said, “How did you wind up down there?” As I desperately tried to regain my breath, I took stock of how I was feeling.

Besides having the wind knocked out of me, I noticed a pulled muscle in my back. It’s always best to get right back on a horse after falling off, assuming it’s safe and reasonable to do so, so I got back on Cherry and walked a lap around the arena. Afterward, I got some ice for my back.

I knew the muscle would be sore for a few days, but I have plenty of tools in my EDS toolbox for muscle tightness and soreness, including an arnica rub, a heating pad, and ibuprofen. It was painful for a day or two, then it started feeling much better.

I was surprised because, with my EDS, healing seems to take longer. But several days later, I leaned over to tie my shoes and felt the muscle in my back begin to spasm. I straightened up and tried to stretch it out, but no luck. The muscle kept spasming, and it was painful. In desperation, I called my massage therapist to see if, by some miracle, she happened to be free. Luckily, she was.

So I headed her way, and she spent the next hour trying to calm the muscle down. While she managed to stop the spasms, they had clearly done more harm than the initial injury. And I know that compensating for the pain will cause problems in other parts of my body if I’m not careful.

I’m using a heating pad as I write this, trying to keep the muscle as relaxed as possible. I know it’ll be a slow healing process and I’ll have to be patient, which I’m not always good at. But I learned long ago that pushing myself will only aggravate an injury, and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to accept that. Here’s to my heating pad, my constant companion for the next few weeks!

Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.