# Back pain from falling off



## kyanya (29 March 2011)

I fell off on Saturday afternoon pretty hard, at the time just thought I'd bruised the bottom of my left side.

However, since it's happened my back is getting increasingly painful. I didn't feel anything wrong with it on Saturday, only an occassional slight twinge on Sunday when I twisted around, yesterday a bit more painful when I twisted around (say to pull car seatbelt today acrosss me) and today I can feel it a lot, like when I change sitting positions at my desk.

It started being just general pains across my back, not really pin-pointable, but now I can feel the place on my spine where the pain is coming from. about mid-way down my back. 

So far I've just rubbed a bit of nurofen gel on it last night before I went to bed. Would you be doing anything else? Or does it just need some time to heal?

I've never had any back problems before, apart from sore/tense muscles in my upper back/shoulders, but this feels completely different. Definitely painful (when I move in a certain way) rather than sore


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## MrsMozart (29 March 2011)

Get thee to a doctor (GP, walk-in centre, or A&E).


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## Booboos (29 March 2011)

Ditto the above I am afraid! Hopefully it's nothing serious and the doctor will give you a referral to a physio who will sort you out, but don't take chances with your back.


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## Tickles (29 March 2011)

I'm clearly irresponsible.

For me I'd say (very) gentle exercise (e.g. a few stretches just to the point it begins to be uncomfy but not beyond, a little walk etc, sitting at a desk/in a car is bad for you!) should help a little and give it a few days.

But the others have given you better advice


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## juliette (29 March 2011)

Just shows how different we all are!

Personally I'd by pass the Doctor or A&E and go direct to a physio, they're much better with backs and shoulders in my experience!


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## MrsMozart (29 March 2011)

I broke my back at about twelve o'clock on a Saturday. Didn't go to A&E until Sunday evening.

Luckily I'm okay.


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## Lynz25 (29 March 2011)

Sounds like you may have irritated / put out alignment your sacral iliac joint and maybe getting facet joint pain in the back due to compensation.  Go and see a physio.  A GP will just give painkillers, personally does not sound like an A&E visit unless you are getting problems with your bowel / bladder, numbness where the saddle area is or pin / needles and or numbness in your legs


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## Amaranta (29 March 2011)

Doctors now!

A couple of years ago one of my horses uncharacteristically bronked me around the school eventually dumping me big stylee.  I landed on my back.  

In typical horse owner fashion, I had the horse's back checked and she had two weeks off.  My back was painful but I bought a tens machine and practically lived with it attached to me!  Two weeks later the pain when riding was getting worse and worse, going down both my legs as well as my back and I could not sleep at night, so I did take myself off to the doctor - guess what, I had pulled every ligament in my back and was not allowed to ride for SIX MONTHS!


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## cyberhorse (29 March 2011)

Sounds exactly the same as my husband did when my delightful horse told him to jump a fence on his own and promptly wrapped him round a wing. He felt OK at the time but then it got progressively worse and he could not twist without pain (again had problems once he had been sat in the same position a while and could not put on his seat belt). He went to a physio and was given exercises where you lie on your back with your ankles crossed and gently rock from side to side 5 times and then gently pull your knees towards your chest to stretch the muscles. However before doing any gymnastics I would get it checked by someone ASAP as it will just tend to worsen and if it is beyond purely muscular leaving it and carrying on as normal could do you some real damage. Also get some anti-inflamms in there e.g. ibuprofen if you can take it and also using alternating heat packs & cold packs will increase circulation in the area to promote healing.


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## Bojangles (29 March 2011)

Big oouch then!! I had a fall like yours on frozen school which made it worse!! I left it till the evening to go and get it chek out only because I kepy having shooting pains down my left leg and my OH dragged me there. Luckly it turnd out to be deep bruiseing. I couldnt ride for two weeks and doing the little thing's like going to the loo nearly had me in tears!!

I had to wait another two week's before seeing my back person in which he could only work on my bum!!! Im so glad Im not shy about that lol!! Just had it check the other week and the mess it was in was the worst that it's even been!! O dear!! A lot of legs being put in awarked sp?? way's!!! 

I would go and get it check out better be safe then doing more damged!! Rest but do move about a bit otherwise you lock up and feel a lot worse!


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## dozzie (29 March 2011)

kyanya said:



			I fell off on Saturday afternoon pretty hard, at the time just thought I'd bruised the bottom of my left side.

However, since it's happened my back is getting increasingly painful. I didn't feel anything wrong with it on Saturday, only an occassional slight twinge on Sunday when I twisted around, yesterday a bit more painful when I twisted around (say to pull car seatbelt today acrosss me) and today I can feel it a lot, like when I change sitting positions at my desk.

It started being just general pains across my back, not really pin-pointable, but now I can feel the place on my spine where the pain is coming from. about mid-way down my back. 

So far I've just rubbed a bit of nurofen gel on it last night before I went to bed. Would you be doing anything else? Or does it just need some time to heal?

I've never had any back problems before, apart from sore/tense muscles in my upper back/shoulders, but this feels completely different. Definitely painful (when I move in a certain way) rather than sore
		
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I probably wouldnt do anything else. Other than rest. 

But I am not saying that is the best thing to do LOL! Just what I would do.
I guess really you should get it checked out but what will they say after a 4 hour wait...go home and rest, take these painkillers...

If you can walk and drive then you probably arent too broken...


...says she who broke her OHs arm in an air guitar competition ( I am a tad competitive..) and told him not to be such a woose...


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## Pearlsasinger (29 March 2011)

Last year in February, I was bucked off onto the road.  I landed head first on my left side.  When I stood up, I though I just had a bit of bruising and a headache.  I'm another who got the vet and the horse had several months off and 5 expensive acupuncture sessions.  
Just as she was coming back into work, I fainted at work and was taken to hospital.  That was caused by a trapped nerve in my neck.  I needed about a dozen physio sessions and lots of exercises.  Unfortunately, I got a virus while having physio which affected my balance, so with the bad weather as well we are only just getting going again (over 12 months since the accident).
Please go and see a doctor.  They will decide whether you need an x-ray and then probably refer you to a physio, but of course you might just need something more than that. 
Most of us would/have probably ignored symptoms but that doesn't mean that that is the right thing to do.


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## MrsMozart (30 March 2011)

Hate to be a bore, but when I cracked my arm, it was a week until I went to the hospital. I was driving, including a horse box, up 'till then.

When I broke my back, I was driving, walking around, etc., even got back on the horse, and it was only the pain from the damage the BP did that made me go to A&E, and even that was only because a nurse friend badgered me into it! Note: the BP may have dug in, but if I hadn't been wearing it, I'd be paralysed.


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## Booboos (30 March 2011)

dozzie said:



			If you can walk and drive then you probably arent too broken...
		
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Sorry but that is dangerously wrong. You can certainly walk and move about with a broken back, it entirely depends on the type of break, but every tiny move you make risks destabilising the break further and leading to horrific implications including paralysis. Back injuries are extremely dangerous even when they do not involve broken bones they can still leave you with chronic pain and problems. OP should NOT rely on an internet diagnosis but she should go to a doctor asap and put up with the 4 hour wait to make sure she is OK.


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## dozzie (2 April 2011)

Booboos said:



			Sorry but that is dangerously wrong. You can certainly walk and move about with a broken back, it entirely depends on the type of break, but every tiny move you make risks destabilising the break further and leading to horrific implications including paralysis. Back injuries are extremely dangerous even when they do not involve broken bones they can still leave you with chronic pain and problems. OP should NOT rely on an internet diagnosis but she should go to a doctor asap and put up with the 4 hour wait to make sure she is OK.
		
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I know. You are totally right.


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## Cuppatea (2 April 2011)

Lynz25 said:



			Sounds like you may have irritated / put out alignment your sacral iliac joint and maybe getting facet joint pain in the back due to compensation.  Go and see a physio.  A GP will just give painkillers, personally does not sound like an A&E visit unless you are getting problems with your bowel / bladder, numbness where the saddle area is or pin / needles and or numbness in your legs
		
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this! ive done it a few times and its only a very good chiro who has managed to do anything about it (one physio actually said he didnt know how to fix it and id be better off going to someone else!) HOWEVER, i would go to a&e (not gp) to get it x-rayed to be on the safe side.


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## Friesian1987 (2 April 2011)

Its just a muscular problem. Put deepheet on it and stop moaning.


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## Tinsel Town (2 April 2011)

Get yourself to A&E to get it x-rayed and checked- just incase! You never know, you dont want to have done some damage and do yourself more damage by not getting it checked, your back and neck are far too important.

I fell off my friends horse a couple of weeks ago, and had neck pain straight away, I went to A&E the next day (i know!) and was put straight onto a trolley, in a neck brace, was sent for 4 x-rays of my neck (i'm all like whats the fuss it'll be whip lash!) the results came back and the consultant was not happy at all with the way my neck looked and wasnt at all happy that i had driven myself to A&E, then out came the head blocks, to immobilse me further, then a team of people came to LOG ROLL me to change me into a gown, god it was madness (all necessary I know, but still), then they sent me for X-rays of my back, and then they wanted to do a CT scan to check my neck, (was getting a bit worried now) back was all ok, so got my CT, which came back all clear Phew!!  all in all 8 hours in A&E, 7 hours looking at ceiling tiles and a jab in the bum as a departing gift!! joyful!
But im so glad i knew everything was ok, and that if i moved around it wouldnt do any more damage.
Also immobolisation isnt good for muscle or whiplash damage (if thats what you have) as it causes stiffness and it takes longer for you to heal.

Hope your ok


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## only_me (2 April 2011)

Just wanted to say, that rest is the worst thing you can do with back pain!
By all means rest if it is very severe and acute, but the best thing to do is keep moving, some gentle exercise may help 

This site is pretty good, and has good clinical evidence to back it up 
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Back-Pain.htm


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## gillianclaude (2 April 2011)

I'd go to physio/chiropracter. 

I had a few bad falls on my back, and went to the doctors to get it checked out. All the doctor said was 'take 2 paracetamol 4 times a day for 2 weeks, then see how it feels. If its really sore, use a heat pack and if your feet go numb, phone for another appointment'  

I'd already been dsing myself up for a year, I doubt an extra 2 weeks would of made a difference. I made the huge mistake of 'living with the pain' but I went to the chiro the same day as the doctors (but afterwards..), and it was seriously out of place in a good few places, and in really bad shape. Apparently I was really lucky with my falls 

Sorry for the essay, but I've now learnt that fall involving back = get checked out asap.  hope everything is ok with you. X


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