The horse rider and the management of headaches

In my physical therapy practice I treat hundreds of patients a year for headaches. Many of these have recurrent neck pain and stiffness, as well as headaches. I teach horse riding and many riders admit they get headaches. Cyclists tend to get neck pain and headaches after riding at the end of the day. Unless there is a medical cause, most headaches are what we call ‘cervicogenic’ (cervico means neck and gene means origin of) so cervicogenic means start the headache in the neck and are caused by the joints and muscles of the neck. The upper two joints are the main cause of headaches because the nerves that supply the head, temples, and eyes are related to the upper two joints of the neck.

Headaches that originate in the neck are caused by nerves being squeezed or pressed by the joints or muscles of the upper neck. There are many other causes of headaches. This article only discusses cervicogenic headaches (which start in the upper neck), not headaches from any other cause. It is important that you be evaluated by a Physiotherapist and/or a Doctor to determine if your headaches are cervicogenic or others.

Poor neck posture and poor general posture will almost always result in a headache, given enough time. Repetitive behaviors and postures that result in the neck being in poor posture will lead to headaches. These postures are the positions that we use in our daily work and in our driving posture.

So what is the relationship between jockey and headaches?

The ultimate bad neck posture comes from round shoulder posture. A person with round shoulders on the ground will have round shoulders in the saddle. When the shoulders are forward and therefore round, the neck will be in a chin-forward posture. This pose places the upper neck in an extended position and this tightens the joints, nerves, and muscles. Over time, joints become stiff and painful, muscles shorten, and nerves swell. The nerve then refers to the pain in the head as a headache. The increased pressure when riding in a round-shouldered stance will increase pressure and therefore nerve pain. Horseback riding is one of the main causes of headaches. All other activities associated with horses can also put pressure on the neck.

Unfortunately, the posture of many adolescents is the norm. Her shoulders are slumped, her chin protrudes forward, and her upper neck is in a stuck closed position. Many don’t use any of their postural muscles and simply hang by their joints. Many people spend many hours in a similar position. Driving, working on the computer, working at home, are just some of the activities that reproduce this posture. As riders, we adapt the same posture in the saddle. Riders are told to sit down and throw their shoulders back.

How do you fix it?

The quick and easy answer is to straighten up, correct your posture and control your mobility. The long answer is to educate yourself and eat it wisely. First of all, go to a physical therapist and get a professional assessment. Learn how and why you do the postures you do, and then learn how to heal yourself and manage your pain with posture management. Not many therapists will be able to relate your headaches to horse riding unless they know horse riding posture. Very few therapists can relate to the muscles used in horseback riding or the amount of skill needed to ride well. Remember that for those who do not ride a horse it seems so easy. Sit there!

Managing headaches as a cyclist can be easy.

Control of headaches in horsemen is the same as for all people; however, I put a greater emphasis on the particular characteristics of the treatment, because I am a horseman. If you have been evaluated and your problems are not too serious, but are chronic in nature, ie they keep coming back, then these simple exercises will help. This should be considered as basic advice only. To control headaches, the joints in the upper neck must be mobile. Your muscles must have strength and endurance. You must also have strong core stability. Deep core muscle strength will reinforce proper upper neck posture. I start with the core muscles in every patient I treat for headaches. Management success without this knowledge and strength is always limited. This is why chiropractic (and other) treatment is highly recommended.

I give simple but effective stretching exercises and educate patients on their posture. I advise all my riding students to follow the Applied Posture program.

Simple stretches to gain mobility in the neck

stretch 1
Stand tall, clasp your hands behind your back, and tilt your head so that your ear moves toward your shoulder. This stretch can hurt, so be careful.

stretch 2
Stand up, close your eyes, and turn your head so your chin moves toward your shoulder.

stretch 3
Push on your chin with the opposite hand to further force the stretch. Feel the stretch or some pain in your neck. Don’t increase your headache with this stretch. Obviously do both sides and if it gets worse go to a Physiotherapist. Hold for 10-20 seconds, reduce and repeat. Do these stretches little and often and do them when you’re well, don’t wait for the stiffness and headache to return. Manage good mobility and keep pain away.