Archery injuries!

[pilsner]

Alright ladies and gents I had to take a forced furlough from my first archery league due to an as yet un-diagnosed R shoulder injury (Re-injury? I tore that same shoulder up pretty bad in Iraq about 10 years ago so who knows). I used a crossbow for a couple of years and hated it. There is a reason few people sit around in their backyard with buddies and drink beer while they shoot crossbows lol #NoFun.
I was finally able to get the shoulder and back in good enough shape to pick up a vertical bow last year and was feeling pretty good about it even though it was only 55# draw weight (compound bow, 29" draw length). The first lesson I took turned into joining the local league for indoor archery. Now after a few weeks of shooting on the regular I am injured again. I handled informal shooting in the backyard pretty well but the regular use of the shoulder apparently aggravated the old injury. I know I am not the first guy to have this happen so what did you guys do about YOUR injuries?

I was hoping that if I further reduce my draw weight I can get by enough for a once a week 10-end league... maybe.
Medical care is moving at the speed of the VA so I am not even fully sure what I am dealing with yet. Is it a new injury or the old one flaring up again? Who knows...
The wife is leaning towards the "sell the bow and just get another crossbow" route. I am not inclined to do that unless its a last resort.

The bow:
PSE Brute Force 55# 29" draw length

The injury diagnosis so far:
prior broken clavicle that healed without medical care following an MVA in Iraq
enough spinal compression in my cervical spine that I am now 3/4 of an inch shorter than before the event (I never did get a full accounting of the number of herniated discs and fractures due to waiting 4 months to see an x-ray machine).
prior tear of 3 of the 4 muscles in the rotator cuff on that side and never did have surgical repair but did do 3 rounds of cortisone shots and 2 rounds of physical therapy (Thanks US Army medicine!)

Id like to hear what you guys have went through and what solutions you have found.

Thanks,
Pilsner

 

[TheJason]

Make sure when you draw you are pulling with your back muscles while keeping your shoulder stationary. It’s easy to get lazy and let your shoulder rotate forward as you draw. This puts a ton of stress on your rotator cuff.

 

[kenton]

Make sure when you draw you are pulling with your back muscles while keeping your shoulder stationary. It’s easy to get lazy and let your shoulder rotate forward as you draw. This puts a ton of stress on your rotator cuff.

This is very good advice. I find myself drawing with my arms from time to time. When this happens, I draw my bow with my eyes closed and can really feel the difference in arms vs back muscles.

My advice would be to just know your limits. I struggle with this all the time but the fact is that with labrum tears in both shoulders, I just can't shoot 100 shots a day like I used to. When my form goes to crap, I stop. Some days that means I get 30 shots in, some days its only 3 or 4. Not real useful for league purposes but if I stop at the right time, I get to shoot tomorrow. Good Luck.

 

[elkhnter]

I’ll look for my PT schedule and send it you if you’d like. It is all about stabilizing the shoulder and using your back. It got me back to bowhunting 4 months after a right shoulder rebuild.

 

[pilsner]

ElkHnter - that would be both awesome and much appreciated.
Kenton - I got the suggestion to video my self shooting to check my form. I like your idea of quitting when it goes to poop regardless of shot count.
The big hope is to still be able to bow hunt even if it means giving up the league.

 

[GlockZ]

I had a torn rotator cuff injury, years ago and had it repaired, there was more extensive damage that the MRI didn't pick up, but the surgeon did and repaired the additional injuries,(i.e. torn muscles, ligaments & tendons), fortunately for me, my surgeon was an avid outdoorsman as well, and knew my concerns. He developed a recovery training regime for me, that strengthened my back, shoulder muscles and core. I am a tad bit older now and still do the same exercises, and I've been back to shooting bow at 70lbs. for quite a few years now. I also shoot my bow regularly, 2-3 times a week, nothing fancy, different positions, from 10-15 yards, 3 shots only, concentrating on drawing my bow properly and a consistent form. The has made my shooting at longer distances, (out 60 yards), very easy and achievable .

 

[sdkhunter]

I've got a bunch of old shoulder injuries from sports back in high school. Dislocated both of my shoulders multiple times, I went through PT and was able to shoot fairly decent for almost 10 years but then around 2005 re-injuried myself shooting too much weight (least that's what I blame it on). I pulled the resistance bands out, did all the exercies my PT had me doing in the past and was able to shoot again but I will say that I dropped poundage and I got a new Mathews Switchback - which made it much easier to draw that what I had been using... My advice would be get some good exerciersies from PT to rehab as best you can and once you can handle it, look at shooting several different bows and see how they feel. Some bows are just easier on the shoulders to pull then others. I'd also look at getting a bow that you can drop down to the high 40's or around 50 for hunting... If you are going to try to get to a point that you can shoot target league, I would seriously consider buying a lighter poundage bow just for that purpose - maybe something in the 40# range? I certianly don't shoot as much as I'd like too but I've kinda realized I only have so much wear and tear left on my shoulders, I'm going to take it as easy as I can on them!

 

[Rancho Loco]

Find a PT or bone breaker that's also a bowhunter.

 

[Maxxis31]

See if you can find an old rip shot release aid. I used one after my shoulder surgery and it help tremendously, i shot with it for the first 6 months and also shot my wifes bow a lot. I ended up selling my 70lb bow and bough a 60lb bow that year and shot a lot and slowly worked back up. I have been shooting 77lbs for the last couple years with zero issues, i also find using a handheld release much easier and draw with your back muscles not your shoulder. The rip shot teaches you to draw with your back muscles, they our out of business but if you call their old number you might be able to find a left over or keep an eye out for a used one.

 

[Western Traveler1]

Thank you for your service. Sorry you are going through this.
I'm 71 years old. I was shooting a Mathews Switchback 70# bow at 65# a few years ago. When I couldn't draw it three years ago I bought a Mathews Chill 60# bow and killed my last bull with it drawing 55#. Then I couldn't draw it two years ago for an elk hunt in Wyoming and ended up hunting with a crossbow. Hated it.
I just got full replacements for both of my shoulders over the last 10 months. I hope to be back shooting this year but the Surgeon won't clear me to start yet. I hope it works out as I want to be hunting Elk in Colorado or here in Montana this September. Hitting Rehab pretty hard right now and soon will be using one of those multi-band training staffs suggested by one of the surgeons.
Good luck with your rehab.

 

[Western Traveler1]

I just got full replacements for both of my shoulders over the last 10 months. I hope to be back shooting this year but the Surgeon won't clear me to start yet. I hope it works out as I want to be hunting Elk in Colorado or here in Montana this September. Hitting Rehab pretty hard right now and soon will be using one of those multi-band training staffs suggested by one of the surgeons.
Good luck with your rehab.

Here is an update on my recovery. My last surgery was in December replacing my second (right shoulder) I’m left handed. I did rehab with the multi-band staff but wasn’t ready for this September archery season. I am now able to draw my Mathews dialed down to a bit under 50#. I expect to be back in form by next Spring. I will be 72 in two months. The difficult part was getting my left elbow to align with my bow at full draw. I lost a lot of muscle mass in my triceps both arms.
I would think younger folks ought to be able to recover sooner but I know it is an individual case for all of us.
(I am hoping to at lease fill a doe tag this season with my bow).