A Strong Body Helped Recovery After Falling from Horse

"I took a bit of a spill off the horse. And landed very heavy on the ground......
I’ve got a broken arm in a couple of places, five broken ribs, and fractured pelvis in five places as well.......
I wouldn't be here today if I hadn't been doing strength training. I'd certainly still be in hospital without a doubt. Going through rehab. So it's been invaluable for me to have that strength".

This interview was 3wks after the fall. She spent 1wk in hospital & 2wks in rehab and is the ideal example of how having a strong body helped recovery after falling from horse. 

Read Video Transcript:

Sheree - So, Sue, I've got you here today, and thought it'd be great to just have a bit of a chat about what you've gone through over the last few weeks. So you had a fall off your horse.

Sue - Yeah, I took a bit of a spill off the horse. And landed very heavy on the ground. I can't remember what happened.

Sheree - And what injuries did you sustain?

Sue - I’ve got a broken arm in a couple of places, five broken ribs, and fractured pelvis in five places as well.

Sheree - And that's pretty hard because a lot of people, when they sustain that, if they weren't already pretty fit or strong, they wouldn't do too well. No, I think they would struggle. Yeah, I think that they would. So you were doing strength training three times a week pretty well, sometimes two times a week before this all occurred. And would you put the strength training down to the fact you got through this so well?

Sue - Yeah, look, it certainly has assisted in helping me through this journey. I wouldn't be here today if I hadn't been doing strength training. I'd certainly still be in hospital without a doubt. Going through rehab. So it's been invaluable for me to have that strength training.

Sheree - So good because you're in the trauma unit for about 10 days and then a further two weeks on the rehab, and you came home a week before they thought you would?

Sue - Yeah, I came out a week earlier. As I said, I'd still be in hospital if I hadn't been doing it.

Sheree - That’s so cool. I remember because I came in to see you and Sue was pulling up her pants and doing all this thing that normally would be really hard if you didn't have good core strength. But you put all that down to having good core strength. You could move yourself up the bed, down the bed, put on your pants and all that with one arm.

Sue - Yeah, no, with one arm because as I said, I've got this broken arm. If you ever want it badly broken, if you ever want to try and pull yourself up in a bed with an arm and a very sore pelvis, give it a whirl, it's not as easy as it seems. So without that core strength, I wouldn't have been able to have the mobility that I've had and also the ability to be able to stand unaided with That's so good.

Sheree - So it's wonderful. And how old are you?

Sue - I’m 67.

Sheree - No, we don't like to talk about age. I know, we don't like to talk about age.

Sue - And I was being in a bit of a denial about it. But obviously, you don't bounce like you used to.

Sheree - You don't bounce quite like you once did as a kid.

Sue - Absolutely not.

Sheree - But it's good if you do get thrown from your horse, that you know that you can go in, get fixed up with whatever they need to do. And then it's up to you. I see as a nurse so many times people that are really not doing well as their baseline. They don't move too well. And then they have an operation of some kind, and they don't do well at all. They take a long time to get through it. So the fact you've come through it and home within a month, it's pretty cool.

Sue - It’s pretty cool. I know that when we first started, I think we used to say, quite often, I do this because people can't roll over in bed when they come into hospitals. So it's not all about prevention. It's also about rehabilitation.

Sheree - Absolutely. Such a huge thing. What would you say to someone at home right now? If they were having a look at this and go, look, I'm in my late '60s, early in your 70s. I'm too old. I just don't think I could do this. What would you say to them?

Sue - I’d say, Give it a whirl. This isn't about building up Superman. It really is about building up your core strength. Just the ability to be able to use your body in the best possible way that you can.

Sheree - Absolutely. Because you don't know what life is going to throw at you sometimes, do you? I could be in a car accident tomorrow, and you could be, too. Or we might have a heart condition where we got to go for open heart surgery. And then you want to know that you're going to be the best state that you can be to get through that.

Sue - Yeah, absolutely. The team up at St John's were fantastic, I've got to say. But they all remarked on the fact that the strength training had been my saving grace.

Sheree - Absolutely. Well, Sue, I guess we can say to someone at home today, after having a look at this, get your butt along. You don't have to get fit before you start strength training. You can just start and you can make your way along.

Sue - Start with baby steps, small weights, and then just gradually build it up. Obviously, I was at quite a good level. I would say. I'm going to be back to square one, just where every other beginner will be, but I'll be back where I was.

Sheree - You may think you'll be at square one, but actually your body will remember what you've done before and it will progress along quite quickly. So you actually won't be quite back to square one. You'll just go back a few steps, and then you'll power forward again. So good.

Sue - I’ll set myself a time limit and a goal, and I'll be there.

Sheree - I love that. Okay, Sue. Well, thanks for that. Let's hope that your story can encourage someone else out there.

Sue - I certainly hope it does because I can't speak highly enough of what Sherinda's.

Sheree - Thank you. See you. Bye.