Shoulders Suck

[Brian in Montana]

Well... Since I was old enough to walk I played baseball until I graduated high school. I was a pitcher all that time and pretty much threw my arm away. I've had shoulder pain off and on most my life but for the last year and a half or so it's gotten persistent and at times debilitating. I finally went to the doctor for it today and he says it's a rotator cuff injury, hard to say how bad exactly, but gave me some prescription antiinflammatory and made a referral to physical therapy, which I really didn't want.

Last fall I didn't even bow hunt because my shoulder was bad, I could feel it shift around inside the joint when drawing. I'm tempted to go into PT and say - get me to where I can draw a bow again. I've always kept my compound bow cranked up to 70lbs, but supposing PT doesn't really work, or not entirely... I don't know. Not really sure what I'm asking. Just sorta pissy about it. How low do you suppose I could reduce my draw weight and still put a Viper Trick through an elk?

Any of you had this problem? I've definitely gotten more into rifles than ever before, but I don't want to give up the September mornings trying to talk a bull into bow range.

 

[WNC2500]

Brian, have you gotten a MRI on it? I had the exact same thing going with my right shoulder. Doctor, and i both thought it was rotator cuff. Frozen shoulder, and a lot of pain to lift right arm/shoulder. Had MRI in December, got the results and it was rotator cuff tendonitis. Physical Therapy is helping 1000% more than I would have thought it would have. It is healing much quicker than I thought it would.
Give the PT a shot. Get an MRI Brian. Good luck with it sir!

 

[JLS]

Drop your bow down to 60 lbs and see how it feels.

Why the opposition to physical therapy? I don’t understand that.

 

[crock239]

Yeah, it sucks. I've fought shoulder pain for years. Did a bunch of PT, which helped (it can make a huge difference which physical therapist you work with, I finally found one who is a shoulder guru, so don't be afraid to shop around if it isn't working or improving).

Finally my improvement plateau w PT, I had an MRI and it looked like some stuff needed cleaning up inside the joint.

2 yrs ago had shoulder surgery, turns out there was stuff to clean up and a sub-scapular rotator cuff tear that didn't show on MRI, so surgeon fixed it while in there.

Shoulder surgery recovery really, really sucks. Do the PT first.

Mine is definitely improved but I do still deal w shoulder tightness and pain, and occasionally still do PT visits as maintenance.

I shoot my bow at 62 lbs, no problems.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Drop your bow down to 60 lbs and see how it feels.

Why the opposition to physical therapy? I don’t understand that.

Life is busy and I just don't want to mess with it. One more place to be while trying to work and get 3 kids to and from school and all their activities. Just more hassle.

I think I'll give it whirl though.

 

[golfer]

Drop the poundage, 60 is enough for anything in MT. I’d go the PT route and get serious about it. I’d avoid surgery at all cost.

 

[JLS]

Drop the poundage, 60 is enough for anything in MT. I’d go the PT route and get serious about it. I’d avoid surgery at all cost.

Pay now or pay (more) later.

 

[Wildabeest]

Just go to FWP and ask for a crossbow exemption .

J/k. Shoulder injuries suck. I thought I had a rotator cuff problem, but it turned out to be degeneration where the collar bone connects into the shoulder joint. Easy solution - cut an inch off the collar bone and eliminate the problematic joint. Chronic pain solved, but 50% loss in ability to do anything that requires leverage on my shoulder. No bow hunting for me.

 

[F250]

Just go to FWP and ask for a crossbow exemption .

J/k. Shoulder injuries suck. I thought I had a rotator cuff problem, but it turned out to be degeneration where the collar bone connects into the shoulder joint. Easy solution - cut an inch off the collar bone and eliminate the problematic joint. Chronic pain solved, but 50% loss in ability to do anything that requires leverage on my shoulder. No bow hunting for me.

The collar bone -shoulder joint is the Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint. I have broken both of mine in separate incidents. Surgeries to both. I do not have the range of motion to shoot a bow. I am now tending to a rotator cuff tear. Brian - PT coupled with a Cortisone shot has kept me out of surgery and pain free. I need the shot about twice each year. Way better than surgery !!!

 

[Bugle 'Em In]

I have a couple of partial tears that I have not had surgically repaired, and don't intend to. I did do some PT exercises to strengthen my shoulder. My turning point was learning to keep my elbow tight to my body when drawing (as opposed to sticking out) and I was able to use different muscles when drawing my bow back. Its kept me in the game!

 

[JLS]

I have a couple of partial tears that I have not had surgically repaired, and don't intend to. I did do some PT exercises to strengthen my shoulder. My turning point was learning to keep my elbow tight to my body when drawing (as opposed to sticking out) and I was able to use different muscles when drawing my bow back. Its kept me in the game!

Good point. Drawing a bow incorrectly puts a LOT of stress on the shoulder. I tore my cuff pretty bad in high school, and had to relearn how to draw my bow correctly in my 30s.

 

[MNElkNut]

I tore my rotator cuff pretty bad in early 2021. Had surgery in April. It sucks, but if it makes for a lifetime of better shoulder usage, so be it. Mine isnt quite as good as my other one now, but almost. 9 days out of 10 I never knew I had the surgery and the 10th it is barely an issue. So my advice:

1. Get an MRI so you know what is going on.
2. Do PT if that is an option
3. Get the surgery if PT doesn't work.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Life is busy and I just don't want to mess with it. One more place to be while trying to work and get 3 kids to and from school and all their activities. Just more hassle.

I think I'll give it whirl though.

I don't think anyone loves PT, but I will say begrudgingly that it helps a lot especially if you are willing to put in the work.

Personally I'm in your camp of just one more place to be, so when I go to PT I make sure that I communicate that I want them to give me a routine to do on my own. I'm way more likely to do 15-20 min on my own every day then make it do an appointment 3+ times a week.

I developed a bad back spasm after a fall snowboarding, and doing PT every day eventually made it go away completely.

 

[LuketheDog]

Life is busy and I just don't want to mess with it. One more place to be while trying to work and get 3 kids to and from school and all their activities. Just more hassle.

I think I'll give it whirl though.

A good PT will give you exercises to do at home too.

My shoulder is similar to yours, rotator cuff injury 14 years ago. Luckily it's my left and not my right or I doubt I could even draw a bow. I re-tweaked it in summer 2020 though, and it hurt so bad to even release an arrow I couldn't bow hunt that fall. I don't have time for that surgery rehab right now, so it's PT for me. And try turning down your draw weight, could make a world of difference in your shoulder.

 

[TheBenHoyle]

I had a cortisone shot for my shoulder. I felt terrible. I have A Fib and high blood pressure which do not go well with cortisone. Looking back on it, I am surprised the doc even considered it. About 3 months later my shoulder hurt as bad as it had before if not worse.

Went to PT for 4 weeks. Problem solved. I continued with those exercises on my own time for a few years until Covid hit and I stopped going in to the office where I could use a gym with weights. But I haven't had any shoulder problems despite no PT exercises in two years.

 

[Fire_9]

I’m assuming you use a wrist strap release? It’s probably a long shot but try a handheld release. Drawing and holding with a handheld is much more comfortable for me than a wrist strap

 

[44hunter45]

Well... Since I was old enough to walk I played baseball until I graduated high school. I was a pitcher all that time and pretty much threw my arm away. I've had shoulder pain off and on most my life but for the last year and a half or so it's gotten persistent and at times debilitating. I finally went to the doctor for it today and he says it's a rotator cuff injury, hard to say how bad exactly, but gave me some prescription antiinflammatory and made a referral to physical therapy, which I really didn't want.

Last fall I didn't even bow hunt because my shoulder was bad, I could feel it shift around inside the joint when drawing. I'm tempted to go into PT and say - get me to where I can draw a bow again. I've always kept my compound bow cranked up to 70lbs, but supposing PT doesn't really work, or not entirely... I don't know. Not really sure what I'm asking. Just sorta pissy about it. How low do you suppose I could reduce my draw weight and still put a Viper Trick through an elk?

Any of you had this problem? I've definitely gotten more into rifles than ever before, but I don't want to give up the September mornings trying to talk a bull into bow range.

Ditto.

I was a weight room junkie until I got married at age 24. Growing up, our family had a ceramic tile business. Back then, there was no "Underlayment", or "Backer Board". We used a hawk & trowel to put wet mud on the walls and deck and screeded it off.

I went to the bone doc about 15 year ago for shoulder pain. He said I had no cartilage in either shoulder. "We see this in two kinds of guys, Stone masons and weight lifters..."
He said they could fix it with surgery. They wanted to take 3/8" off the ends of my clavicles to stop the contact. I passed on that.

I was 45 then. Now I'm 60. I avoid taking OTC pain meds because if I worry about my liver. I can live with pain, not without a liver. This is costing me sleep and its time to do something about it.

@JLS and I had the conversation last season about cranking down my 70# Hoyt Spectre. I got in two field days during 2021 archery season. It just hurt too much to practice 6 arrows a night. I shot a new Mathews at a bow shop and was shocked how easy it was to draw. (and FAST!) I guess that would be my next step.

Lots to think about.

 

[SAJ-99]

Well... Since I was old enough to walk I played baseball until I graduated high school. I was a pitcher all that time and pretty much threw my arm away. I've had shoulder pain off and on most my life but for the last year and a half or so it's gotten persistent and at times debilitating. I finally went to the doctor for it today and he says it's a rotator cuff injury, hard to say how bad exactly, but gave me some prescription antiinflammatory and made a referral to physical therapy, which I really didn't want.

Last fall I didn't even bow hunt because my shoulder was bad, I could feel it shift around inside the joint when drawing. I'm tempted to go into PT and say - get me to where I can draw a bow again. I've always kept my compound bow cranked up to 70lbs, but supposing PT doesn't really work, or not entirely... I don't know. Not really sure what I'm asking. Just sorta pissy about it. How low do you suppose I could reduce my draw weight and still put a Viper Trick through an elk?

Any of you had this problem? I've definitely gotten more into rifles than ever before, but I don't want to give up the September mornings trying to talk a bull into bow range.

Do you use a four finger thumb release?

 

[rustednuts]

A rotator cuff injury is pretty vague. Is there an actual tear, or are you looking at an imbalance/overuse injury?

If your muscles are bound up you can end up with a restricted range of motion and improper tracking that can lead to rotator issues. I'd be evaluated by a PT or AT that has an upper-body/sports medicine focus. I've had good look with cupping followed by rehab exercise. You need the cupping, dry needling, or intense massage first to relax the muscles back into place to get the most out of the rehab work. A good PT will send you home with exercises to do then PROGRESS your rehab the next session. You shouldn't be doing your actual rehab during the session.

 

[Coop]

As a former collegiate pitcher, bowhunter, and someone in the PT field, my advice would be to buy in. PT isn't going to be a magical cure-all. The PT will work on you and show you exercises, but the results will depend on how well you adhere to the home exercise program they give you. It takes time and results don't come over night, but if you are consistently doing what you're supposed to, chances are that you will be good to go by summer. Best of luck and feel free to reach out with questions.