Help for Possible Injury

[Bean Counter]

  Okay, get that over with, just in case elk season is now on the rocks.

So I'm climbing down from the work truck tonight, grabbing hold of a bar with my left arm (I'm right handed so the left is my bow arm) and a little overzealously putting most of my body weight on that as I search for footing in the dark, and I feel the strain. I get down, stretch out a little, and notice that when I extend my arms out in front me, I feel pain in the left shoulder--sorta where the ball fits into the socket.  I can extend both of my arms into pretty much every other direction without pain. I can even mock my bow draw without feeling anything funny.

 I'm not sure how much this may be related to my archery shooting. This is my first year and since I bought back in May I've been shooting about five days a week, turning the pounds up from about 45 to 60 today.  I feel a little sore after shooting now when I go a lot, but I can pop a few off with good form and no pain.  I stretch a decent amount before I shoot and do at least two upper body weight lifting sessions a week (chest and tris one day, back and bis the other).

Should I be scared?  Call the local archery shop and ask for a referral to a specialist doctor? I've heard the words "torn rotator cuff" a lot but I have no idea what that really is or how bad it probably feels. Any suggestions on how long I'll have to leave the bow alone? I guess the first thing I need to do is see how I feel tomorrow and the next day. I've only got so many days to file a workmans comp or whatever. Though I feel like a [vajayjay] for even thinking about it.  Thanks peeps.

[SHANE(WA)]

hmm, i would be toughing it out if you could to hunt, thats me. I broke my release hand last year 1 week before elk opener

[ICEMAN]

Sounds like old age.

For you younger fellas, maybe a pinched nerve?

Take it easy for a few days and wait it out. Stretch each time you get up and don't over do it for a while....Just my 

[Crunchy]

take two tylenol and two advil and suck it up

[rose-n-arrows]

I'm no doctor but if you only have pain when your arm is stretched out in front of you I doubt that's it's a torn rotator cuff.  Ice it, rest it a few days and by all means, if it hurts like a son of a gun, get it checked out!  If you can't draw your bow, you can still go along with your buddies and experience the hunt--maybe it will heal by late season.  Don't man up and make it worse to the point that you can't do a dang thing.  You won't even be able to use it to get into your truck and there goes the paycheck!  GET WELL SOON!

[docsven]

Sounds like a strain of the Teres Major, as long as pain doesn't refer down the arm, it will heal with rest-don't over stretch it right now.  Give it a few weeks to rest first. 

[tlbradford]

Maybe a little strain, maybe a little micro-tear.  Most tears will heal on their own given time.  I would caution against aggressive stretching and watch your range of motion when lifting weights.  If you feel any type of sharp pain discontinue that action.  You are having pain in the front delt which is not really involved in drawing a bow.  Keep shooting your bow.

[timmyg]

If it still hurts by hunting, have someone kick you in the Nooksack really hard.  You will forget about the pain in the shoulder.

I would go see someone if it persists for over a week.  Ice is a miracle drug.  Seems like we have a lot of docs on this site.

[tlbradford]

Seems like we have a lot of docs on this site.

More like...We sure have a lot of people who have hurt themselves a lot on this site.   

[adam.WI]

If you have the insurance to get it checked out it would be foolish not to. That way you can take the appropriate steps to heal and hopefully be ready to go against what the doctor says for opening day. Even if it requires surgery (hope not for your sake) they wont schedule you in for awhile. That's what I would do. The alternative could be just let it go and it feels even worse as time progresses and then you feel like a real "vajayjay" when next season comes around and you can't even pull the legal limit.

[rasbo]

hot and cold it..You might try standing with a wall in front of you and walk your hands up the wall using you fingers and hand till its gets over your head repeat this nice and easy..

[cabin308]

Could be shoulder burstitis.  It can start out mild but get really painful as the inflammation increases.  If you can get it looked at by a MD do it to check for possible further damage ie. rotator cuff tear.   

[Bean Counter]

Old age? Iceman, I'm 27! I thought that this is my prime 

Thanks to everyone who has chimed in. I feel better today but still notice some of the pain. It doesn't hurt to hold my arm out in front any  more but some akward shoulder movements do stir up the strain.  I've been counseled by some senior coworkers to file the papers, and to ignore the feelings of being a sissy for doing so.  I'm going to give the shoulder another days rest and if it still hurts, ask the local bow shops for a referal to a doctor.

Take care of yourselves, people! Make your stupid mistakes after hunting season 

[ICEMAN]

Bean Counter, I meant it sounds like i feel half the time. 

You late 20's whipper snappers have it made!

[coachcw]

Rest it for now and take anti-inflamitorys , i tore a rotator sking a few years back , I delt with the pain and avoided surgery , good luck I like the suck it up and hunt threory .

[Instinct]

like everyone is saying just keep it rested and if i were you, wouldnt bother shooting the bow till a week when ur ready to hunt. let it heal up as much as u can. maby a mesage or however u spell it from someone

[firecrotch]

i have a torn rotator cuff as we speak from pitching. im done with baseball but its not keepin me from archery!!!

[Huntbear]

Lots of ice, on 20 min. off for 20.  Take 600 mg. of advil/ibuprofen every 4-6 hours, WITH FOOD!  it takes a minimum of 600 mg.s for it to work as an anti-inflammatory.  Of course, if  you have a sensitive stomach, or have ulcers, do not take it.  And rest it, no heavy lifting, pulling with it, etc... for a few days.

I have torn, pulled, ripped, and over used more muscles and joints than I care to discuss, but this is the best advice the doctors ever give me. 

If after all that, and it still not responding, then go to a doc and maybe have an MRI done of the shoulder.

[Tom Tamer]

I tore mine about nine years ago.....and felt the same way about claiming it at work, but it cost me about 4months work without pay

 I'd maybe ice it like was said, maybe rest it for a few days but even after having a minor surgery mine is not the same. Once you've rested it to get the inflammation down stretching is very important, plus weight lifting has helped me a lot with being able to pull a bow. Both mine ache right now and sleeping can be a pain( no pun intended) too. I've been lifting not heavy weights but enough to increase strength.  Let your shoulder(s) tell you how much. It's pretty easy to tell the good pain from the bad pain of lifting.

[Bean Counter]

I think I'm going to be alright. I had it checked out (for free, thank you Workmans Comp) and X-rayed.  No dislocations or anything. Doc says I musta just sprained it. There's weird, sporadic occasional pain, but less than 10% of what would make me even think about taking a pain supressant.  I'm not restricted in motions and can do pushups, pullups, and draw my bow back without any shooting pain.  Its more of like, leaning in a chair, or adjusting my seatbelt in the car that I do occasionally feel 'it' (whatever it is).

I took about three days off the bow and went back at it again  yesterday. I'm still at 60lbs on the draw and I think I'm going to leave it at that for this season--I'll work on getting to 73lbs for next year.

Take care of yourselves.. and each other (~Jerry Springer).