Contributors to this thread:
At 18 and after a few serious injuries in high school I was told I would need to have shoulder surgery before I turned 30. College football and 25 years later it’s finally caught up to me. I don’t see anyway around it anymore.
After this year my confidence in shooting my bow again is near zero after separating my shoulder working on our combine in early November. The constant nagging pain (I can’t describe it) has increased tenfold over the last couple of months. Thinking I was on the mend, I reinjured it again yesterday... again working on the farm. Both of my shoulders have issues, but my left is by far the worst.
If I can get it scheduled I may have to wait until late summer at this point... gearing up for planting season and because I procrastinated thinking it would get better.
My question is, has anyone on here had this issue, what was rehab like, and what is a realistic timeframe to get back to shooting archery?
I had shoulder surgery rotator cuff and I won’t lie it’s not a joke. Same thing I hurt it when I was young in martial arts and just wore it out through the years. I regretted getting surgery at first because it felt like it would never heal. Well now I am so glad I did it. No pain and feels amazing. I did end up having issues with my left shoulder because I over composited with it. I’m right handed and using my left so much like I did brought out an old injury. The most important thing and I can’t STRESS this enough. Listen to your doctor because if you don’t you will F it up again. Do your rehab and let it heal. No matter what it will take a good year. Put the bow down till your therapist or doctor say it’s ok. If you need to hunt pick up a crossbow for a year. I did change my lifestyle. I don’t train like I used to and I will never do another pull up ever again.
My late father had to sell his ranch due to a shoulder injury where he was struck by a truck and ejected from his car. He finally found a surgeon 20 years later that did a good repair. It was like new life breathed into him at about age 70. He was able to use that arm very well until he passed at 87. He built a covered deck and helped me build fence the year before he died.
Thanks for the info guys.
Honestly, I’m not above shooting a crossbow... I had to this year, at times, after I injured my shoulder or I was setting out the year. And I AM NOT sitting out if I can keep from it. I only got to go on 10 sits the entire season due to farming and the crazy weather we had. The only reason I have crossbow is I purchased it to take kids hunting... call me a wuss or sell-out, but glad I had it this year for sure. Not making any excuses.
With that said, if anyone wants an honest assessment of crossbows PM me... I hate the things worse than I did before. I’m not sure why anyone would prefer one over a regular bow... I’ll shoot it again next year if I have to, but I don’t care if I ever shoot another deer with one. I guess I see the advantage if you are a “bait and kill” type of hunter, but if you like to be mobile... it’s a hindrance.
Back to the topic at hand, I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to wait until late summer if I can get it scheduled. In a perfect scenario, is 6 weeks reasonable or is it more realistic that shooting a bow is NOT going to happen in Fall if 2021 if I have the surgery say in late July/Early August?
Healing is different for everyone. Listen to your doctor and body.
You might check in to getting prp shots(see link) the wife did it on her shoulder(years of swimming ) and her knee and it has worked wonders. walks 4-5 miles 3 times a week now, but all the pools are closed. Not covered by most insurance, and being open here, doctor acidently billed ouur insurance for $865 but we had already paid $500 a shot(takes 3 shoots 2 weeks apart) but per the wife, well worth it...
https://b3medical.com/2020/07/what-is-a-prp-injection-the-process-explained/
I had total shoulder replacement in April of 2019. I had my left shoulder done and was back to shooting 60#s by mid-august. A lot has to do with the surgeoun, get a good one and things go very well. I am a fast healer as they say and was actually doing quite a few things within 6 weeks of the surgery. Most say at least 6 months but I did my PT and did very well. Best thing I ever did, the difference is unreal, my right should was due to be replaced in March but due to Covid there are no elective surgeries where I am in NY, so I have to suffer until I can get it done. I too played football into my late 30's and had several shoulder surgeries over the years. It gets to the point where ya just need it done! Shawn
Thanks Scoob... that helps a lot
Look up Dr. Haggan he was over at cyprus in wichita.Put mine back together after falling out of a tree and also repaired my daughters and wifes shoulder.Mine was alot worse than a rotator cuff.
Sorry I had the prp injections in both my knees. Did little to nothing for me and my insurance did cover them because I had a pre-exisiting condition that was to a point they would let me try several different experimental treatment. I had injections of artificial sonovial fluid in my jnees and that helped some but when or if you are bone on bone in a joint, not much helps. Shawn
I should also say that a total shoulder replacement can and does heal a lot quicker than severe rotator damage. I mean they actually cut thru your subscapularus to dislocate your shoulder to replace the ball and socket but the way they surgically attach it thru the bone makes it heal better than new. Shawn