Shoulder Trouble
Wisconsin
I have been struggling with a shoulder issue since May. My left shoulder has been hurting. In May I could not draw my bow at all, I went to the doctor and then physical therapy for a month or so and am now doing strengthening exercises on my own. My shoulder is very slowly getting better. Two weeks ago I thought maybe I was ready to draw my bow. I did draw my bow but then my shoulder "let loose" and the pain came back full force. So I am continuing my strengthening routine and am still slowly getting better.
I am right handed so this is the arm I use to hold my bow. Has anyone else experienced similar trouble? It's getting close to September and I want to be able to practice before the season starts!!!
Sorry to hear! I'd definitely take it easy and drop bow draw poundage as low as it goes next time. Hope it heals for you. I've got some knee issues that come and go, but so far the shoulders are good to go.
I went to a sports therapist for right shoulder issues. He taught me exercises that targeted individual muscles to strengthen my shoulder. Been 10 years at least and have had no issue since. Regular doc wanted to do surgery.
Cheese...the only way that you can be somewhat sure is to get an MRI. Have had tears repaired in both shoulders. No other pain is quite as intense or searing (IMO). Hope it goes well. If there are tears you may well miss the bow season. See the Doc soon if you can. (Again-IMO).
I had shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff 3 months ago. About 20 years ago a horse fell on me and the shoulder has been shot since. Doc fixed the tear and cleaned up the previous junk. Maybe next year I could pull a bow back. Not for the previous 15 years. I had physical therapy and its getting better. Well I am 74 and will use the other alternative. Its still hunting the mountains are calling next month
Last year I had a torn bicep tendon in my right shoulder, I had it repaired in May and was drawing my bow by mid Sept.
This isn't the same as that, the pain isn't nearly as bad and I can function pretty much normal other than I can't sleep on my left side and I can't draw my bow.
Cheesehead I had the same thing last year and it got to where I couldn't put a belt on, taking my coat off was painful and sleeping on it hurt like heck. Forget shooting my recurve. My bow arm couldn't hold a bow up let alone hold while drawing. I couldn't raise it above my head.
Finally I couldn't take it and went to Doctor. After an MRI, I was diagnosed with something called "frozen shoulder". I didn't believe it was real but it was. Google the term and you will see the symptoms. After a set of shots and exercise I am 80% even after a year. They say it can take two years to fully recover. It was painful!
Don't know if that's it but thought yours sounded much like what I had.
Had three rotator cuff muscles tore in my right shoulder just before bear season many years ago. Two total tears and one partial tear. After months of trying this and then finally got the MRI and scheduled for surgery. It felt worse after the surgery. My right elbow locked up and right arm swelled up after surgery. Only way I could pull a bow was to tie a rope to a tree and run a loop on the other end of the rope to my right hand. Then tighten the rope and step into it and let the rope draw the bow, then hook my thumb behind my neck to help hold/anchor. It sucked. Even now I cannot do anything out in front of me like adjusting the radio in the car, about 3 seconds is all the time I can hold that arm out in front of me or up in the air. The doctors are surprised I can do as well as I can. He said my shoulder was among the 10 worst he ever worked on and doing better than the other 9 are.
Having the left arm bad like you have has got to be way worse. Bet you couldn't even hold up a gun or bow to attempt shooting it. Good luck, get the MRI so you know what your options are.
Good luck.
All sorts of issues here. Need to be careful about the doctors. Some may have a degree but just stupid. Looking for new primary after he did a two step in covering another s arse. I could see herniated disc in back on MRI. This doctor said oh thats normal to me. But put in his notes there was a herniated disc. All he keeps saying is stretch, stretch, stretch. As the mri results come back he changes his tune. Knee hurts stretch. Ohh mri shows 5 tears in cartilage, better not stretch that. Shoulder shows torn rotator cuff, better not stretch that. The list goes on. With 5 mris, and who knows how many xrays.
I stretch to get out of bed, and get upright. Eating better, and have dropped 70 lbs. Still the pain is off the charts. Just pushing through it as always. Surgery is needed for some of this. Just no time to do it. No way I can really draw a bow back at this point.
Lightweight excercies helping shoulders some. Mostly just staying loose. Need to stay under 5 lbs to target the small muscles, like rotator area.
Take care, and dont be in a rush. Overdoing it is much worse. Which is my nature!
It is very slowly getting better, In May I couldn't hold the bow up, I can now hold the bow up and a couple weeks ago was even able to draw my compound, I shouldn't have done that, it set me back at least two weeks. It would be great if I could figure out some sort of brace to keep the pressure of my shoulder when drawing. I'm not going to get an MRI until after hunting season, or at least after my ND Mule deer hunt!!!
Cheese, do the opposite of what I did. Tie a rope to the riser and to a tree in front of you. Step back and let the tree take the main stress of your draw instead of your left shoulder. Might be more clumsy than it is worth. You might even have someone with good shoulder try it first so they can give you tips on where to tie, how to keep the bow stable, etc...
But, you might end up shooting the tree instead of the target or developing a bad torque habit in your wrist while trying not to hit the tree.
Get the MRI now. At least you will know even if you don't do any surgery till later.
I know I'll get flamed, but who cares. I'd seriously consider a crossbow if being able to hunt by opener is a concern and if you can afford it. You can still play around with lowering the poundage on your bow, getting new arrows, sighting in and being confident. You can be sighted in from 20-40 yards with a show in one relatively short session.
I too encourage you to see a doctor sooner rather than later. It can save you a surgery later on if he/she can diagnose it before it becomes necessary to repair it surgically. You may want to ask about a torn labrum. I tore mine 22 years ago and waited 18 years to get it fixed. Had I gotten it looked at right away I would have saved myself 18 years of pain and a much shorter surgery. I had learned how to compensate for the labrum by using other muscles in ways they weren't designed to be used. These had to be repaired along with the labrum because I had damaged them via compensation. A torn labrum presents itself as a sharp pain when aggravated which will turn into a dull ache over the course of several days. The shoulder will also feel loose and unstable. Difficult decision w/ the season looming. Best of luck with it.
Speaking from the perspective of someone with degenerative arthritis (had a hip replaced at 56 years of age) I've struggled.
I keep my options open - and can hunt with a rifle, pistol, crossbow and (following PT and exercise) my vertical bow.
I'm consigned to eventually having surgery on my right shoulder - When I went in to see the doc who did the hip he reviewed the films of the corruption of the shoulder. He advised to not put it off too long. I did that with the hip and ended-up with a replacement. Had I had the sense to bring it to someone's attention earlier I could have bought some time with an arthroscopic repair.
My advice - find a first rate orthopedist. My guy's from Canada and a first rate hunter. Froedtert and Medical College.
I have degenerative joint disease is what I have been told. My feet used to be the worst until I went and got custom foot beds and now my feet, ankle, knees and hips are doing great but I get it in my shoulder joints here and there. I can't lift, pull or push. I usually slow down and let it calm down for a week or so then I am back to normal but never that bad where I needed therapy and exercises.
Wow - hope you feel better soon Cheesehead! Ive just been lucky I guess. Heal fast!
Sounds like there are quite a few out there with some bad joints and pains and aches. Age is no friend to most of us!
Best of luck to those in pain - no fun!
It hurts daddy!!lol! Had one rotator cuff surgery and getting ready to have another! I'm happy I had the first one after month's of pain and rehab. They say it is the most painful surgery you can have!!! .
It hurts daddy!!lol! Had one rotator cuff surgery and getting ready to have another! I'm happy I had the first one after month's of pain and rehab. They say it is the most painful surgery you can have!!! .
It hurts daddy!!lol! Had one rotator cuff surgery and getting ready to have another! I'm happy I had the first one after month's of pain and rehab. They say it is the most painful surgery you can have!!! .
Sorry about the triple post.
vinman, first time i heard that. Dont like it one bit. please lie to me from now on, LOL.
I can say that all the extra stretching I do now. The extra working out. The loss of 70 lbs this year so far.( 45 from last bear season) That I am much stronger now, and in best shape in long time. Weigh what I did as freshman in HS. Just much stronger than back then.
Still, has not helped any of the injuries. In many ways worse even. As I have been pushing hard as normal. Pain is off the charts most days. At least its in so many areas. That it creates a balance. Comfortably numb, LOL.
The one and biggest advantage. A driving force behind it all. Is being in better shape will speed recovery time. That in itself is huge. If and when I do get any of the surgeries done. Will be hard to do. Work so slow last few years. No way can afford to be laid up. If the phone rings. The bills need paying and cant find that damm duck!
My shoulders are hanging in there . Once a week I do a series of lifts with 10 lb bells .
I have dropped my bow wt from 70 to 60 to 50 the last 10 years . If I must , someday I'll be at 35 lbs . A 76 year old friend had a 30 yard pass through on a 200 lb buck last year with a 38 lb pull .
In 1965 I tore my rotary cuff during tryout with the White Sox . In that time period they sent you packing . There was no repair then . It healed on its own several times .
It will be a cold day in Hell when I use that as an excuse to use a crossbow .
10lbs is fine and of course great to do. However at that weight your are working the larger muscle groups of the shoulders. In order to work the small muscles, and of course the rotator cuff muscles. You must stay below 5 lbs. Best to start much lighter, until you can get high reps.
After several years of coaching throws. Seeing to many of my athletes strain these muscles and worse. I implemented the light weight work out. Very few strains the very first year. Saying this was extremely hard is an understatement. Especially with the boys.
When I get in later will post the entire lift sequence. Really a good thing for all bowhunters to do. 10 mins a day, 3-4 days a week. Will help prevent much of the pain many of us soooooo enjoy.
Painful surgery, yes if the damage is bad, involves multiple muscles, they had to cut you open to do it, you needed a graft, and you waited over 6 months do it.
Cheese, yours does not sound near that bad.
As I said I had rotator cuff surgery on April 17 for a complete tear and a cleanup from a horse falling on me 20+ - years ago. I don't think the pain is that bad from the surgery or physical therapy. I only took pain meds for a week and that was to sleep in a recliner. It surely is not as bad as a Knee replacement. I did the Rotator cuff surgery as an out patient. THis was at the and Sports Clinic in . Worst part was boredom as I couldn't turkey hunt or fish. Piece of cake really.
