Back pain just needs to be lived with…NOT!

Back pain in riders is far more common than it needs to be…. or than it should be! The term ‘back pain’ refers to any pain in the spine/pelvis or hips. Pain anywhere in the body (but especially back pain) negatively alters the ability to activate core muscles, achieve balance, ride with symmetry and have a good sense of body position. Absolutely nobody is immune to these effects no matter how well they think they are managing. If horses could talk, they would concur. The effects of these factors on the ability to ride are sometimes subtle (often more so to the rider than the onlookers) and sometimes not so subtle. The compensations that riders use to accommodate their back pain become habits. The ensuing effects lead to riding techniques and positions that are not horse-friendly and may lead to further injury! READ MORE…