Hurting shoulder

[Black Moshannon]

Back in January on the last day of deer hunting I went out and my right shoulder was aching from shooting a lot with my close to 60 pound bow. I had changed up to the high anchor and ever since doing that things didn’t feel good when shooting. I was getting good back tension through the shot and the muscles between my shoulder blades got very sore too. But my shoulder really felt uncomfortable and when I held my arm straight out there was a sharp pain. So on the last day I really didn’t feel good and know I shouldn’t be shooting but I did anyway, to get ready for the hunt, and really felt some pain.. so I stopped for a bit and then I wanted to play around with trying the pinch grip shot and so about a week later I got back to shooting far too much… long story short I haven’t shot the bow in a couple weeks. Today my shoulder feels pretty good. I heard I should wait some time after getting back to normal to begin  again. Also, I’ve been doing a lot of research into why my shooting was causing shoulder pain, and on shoulder impingement. Turns out I’ve been pretty stupid. I was drawing the bow with the bow set straight out, reaching high and reaching out with the bow arm, which apparently can cause tremendous pressure in the shoulder. I also reduced my bows weights down to 45-50 pounds. Does anyone have any experience or ideas dealing with this? I feel I should maybe wait two to three weeks before I start trying to shoot again.

[Black Moshannon]

I should add that I never felt discomfort before I went to the high anchor point. I should have known not to repeatedly do an action which causes discomfort.

[Pat B]

First, let it rest and heal until it's better then try a 50# bow and see how that does. 50# is plenty for most US hunting and definitely enough for target and 3D. If it becomes a chronic injury you will suffer with it the rest of your life.

[jimmi the sammi]

Check out this book:  Shoulder Pain?  The Solution and Prevention.  Author:  John M. Kirsch MD  Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon.  Buy it on Amaz

Found the thread on a different trad site and have been using it to fix some of my shoulder issues.  It works.  Recommended it to several other friends that have had the same results.

The thread on the other site is "how you hanging"  Just saying.

[StickMark]

Tom Clum Sr has some videos on shoulder impingement.
Agree with PatB, in that a screwed up shoulder can be for life. I am 56 next month, and want to launch woodies well into my 80's.

Give the shoulder rest, like you said, 2-3 weeks. If it feels warm after shooting, warm as in warm-fifteen-minutes-later, that seems to me to be inflammation. Clum's videos have some good points; even though I shoot more open stance style, 24 25 + inch draw, I have really learned to pull with the back.

Presently, being able to shoot long term motivates my draw weight and arrow weight. Would love 60# draw weight, but like you, I always end up tillering to 45-48 or so. I finally wised up and decided that if I draw an elk tag for Arizona archery, I will up arrow weight and probably build a specific bow for that endeavor. For all other hunting, 45-50 seems powerful.

Keep us informed

[Black Moshannon]

Thanks for the replies. Pat,I will be going with fifty and under bow weights from now on. Thanks Jimmi for the book recommendation I’ll check it out. Stick mark, I’ve seen that video Clum put out. It came out the same time I realized I was having a problem.

Additionally I go around once a week to train in submission grappling and yesterday my shoulder was feeling fine until I went and then afterwards it was back to pain again so I guess I’ll have to cut that out for now too, or maybe just go watch to learn. I think I will also see the doctor.

[Black Moshannon]

Just adding an update. I will be seeing the doctor. It’s feeling better but I want to make sure I do the right thing to heal it. For me the problem was the angle of my drawing arm and elbow and the alignment with the shoulders. I have a pretty long neck so raising the drawing hand up higher was putting my arm out of alignment with shoulders and bow hand. I know this is the reason because I was having some discomfort immediately when I starting using the higher anchor ( I didn’t want to accept that because I really wanted to shoot that way) and when I would play with the old lower anchor everything felt ok again. Also, while my right shoulder has been resting I messed around with shooting left handed. My left shoulder started hurting immediately. I can even make the drawing motion without actually drawing the bow and anchoring higher than the lower jaw area causes my shoulder to feel pinched and uncomfortable. I will have to adjust to my bodies demands and just anchor lower and figure it out from there…