Question for active Coumadin users

[Elcarim]

This has been a very interesting read for me.

I have a mechanical aortic valve, and thus I will be on coumadin for the rest of my life. I was told by one doctor that I could not play contact sports and the face she pulled when I told her I intended to keep riding horses will stay in my memory forever!
But my regular cardiologist is okay with it, as long as I am careful. My bad falls before surgery were all to do with starting young horses or competing in horse trials. So I don't do any of those any more. I have a quiet, steady pony and I don't ride any strange horses unless I can see someone else on it first. I have had one minor fall while showjumping since my surgery and I didn't even get a bruise from that.

I know that if I do something risky and get hurt I will likely be told not to ride anymore. I am more afraid of that than I am of actually getting hurt.

I have a body protector that I wear when jumping and I always make sure I wear a good helmet.

Falls at speed are common among recreational horse riders, and head injuries and internal bleeding are a likely result. But I will not give up riding if I have a choice. Speed is not something my pony is fond of and at 13.1hh he is not that high to fall from.

 

[donnamarie]

Apologies for hi-jacking the thread for my own pleasure, but the as some-one who will prob be on comaudin in near future, I find the range of opinions on do's and don'ts fascinating.

I see the opinion on Motor Racing is split. What are people's thoughts on other and in particular contact sports?

Soccer - Potential for clash of heads, a driving knee to the thigh etc.

Rugby- Lots of physical contact to chest, arms, legs etc...

Basketball- Pretty much non-contact.

If my HS basketball playing son saw that last quote, he'd have a fit!

 

[Bad Mad]

If my HS basketball playing son saw that last quote, he'd have a fit!

Why?? There aint much contact in basketball

Broken Jaw? Fractured ribs? torn ac joint? ruptured Cruciate Ligament?
concussion?

Thats only a small number of injuries I've suffered through direct hits in contact sport (Gaelic Football). Basketball isn't physical

 

[mtkayak]

I whitewater kayak alot. And I encounter quite a few rocks. Those rocks aren't always friendly. All I can say is protect yourself with all equipment available. For me, when I (we) go creekin', which is very shallow fast moving water down a very small creek bed, the risk for contact with rocks increases significantly. To counter that risk, ALL and I mean ALL (not just Coumadin users) wear protective head gear (full face helmet) to protect your face as well as your head. We wear elbow pads to protect the elbows from rocks chipping off a piece of bone while squeezing through tight slots on the river. Yes, this is extreme whitewater, not roll your boat qently down a stream. Just last week, I flipped and my kayak and smacked a rock, there's a nice scratch on my helmet to show for it. Hey, I'm fine today, that's why we wear helmets, Right? Right! Sometimes, it's a long way back to civilization, when your down in a gorge that's 5000 ft. steep and hiking out is impossible. So, that's why we bring rescue ropes and first aid kits. We train in Swiftwater Rescue and learn how to save each other. By doing these things we significantly reduse our risks. The rest is out of our control, mother nature and the one that controls mother nature.

This is the type of helmet I wear.

http://www.sweet.no/helmets_rocker_ff.htm