Rotator Cuff Surgery and Bowhunting?

[BAR C3]

BAR C3

You are doing well then.  Of course the doc also took out  a huge bone spur, and stitched a slap tear back to the bone on me...  I am still not 100% from surgery last June.  But getting better.

Yep, your worse than me. They just had to shave some off my clavicle. And you are correct, I just had to throw you a challenge. You will never be 100% again. Because it's not my pulling arm, it will be fine for me to shoot by June. My PT guy gave me some bow exercises today to help strengthen it. I just wish my surgeon would have told me that alot of surgeries fail down the road. I don't know how to not go 100%. The first one lasted 10 years though.

[billythekidrock]

See, that is what scares the crap out of me. "The first one lasted 10 years..." 
I don't want to have another one.

[MichaelJ]

You guys are making me call my doc tomorrow to get some things straightened out lol.  I only have the tear, no bone spurs and no problems with my collar bone.  Doesn't even hurt me 19 days out of 20. Only when I throw a ball.  I can work out, shoot my bow, and do other things without it hurting.  I don't want to make it worse by trying to fix it! 

Mike

[bobcat]

I have something wrong with one, or both, of my shoulders too, but I don't know what. Never did have x rays done. That was why I quit archery hunting about 10 years ago. When I practiced too long I'd have shoulder pain that would last for weeks. Now I'm getting back into bow hunting but with a 60 pound bow, instead of a 70. And I've been shooting it at only 53 pounds so far. No shoulder issues yet. But yes, the one thing that will still really cause pain in my shoulder is throwing a ball. So I just don't do that.

[Huntbear]

BAR C3

You are doing well then.  Of course the doc also took out  a huge bone spur, and stitched a slap tear back to the bone on me...  I am still not 100% from surgery last June.  But getting better.

Yep, your worse than me. They just had to shave some off my clavicle. And you are correct, I just had to throw you a challenge. You will never be 100% again. Because it's not my pulling arm, it will be fine for me to shoot by June. My PT guy gave me some bow exercises today to help strengthen it. I just wish my surgeon would have told me that alot of surgeries fail down the road. I don't know how to not go 100%. The first one lasted 10 years though.

My only saving grace is I am not a Bow hunter...  I am one of those evil Modern firearm guys.      But it sure gets to screaming at me still when I sling on the backpack for a few hours...   

[MichaelJ]

Just got off the phone with the docs office...

I have 4.5 months from the surgery date to archery season.  They said that because of how much it doesn't hurt me right now, and me only being 23, and it only being a PARTIAL tear, that there's a good chance I would be able to shoot my bow this fall, and will definitely be able to shoot it by the 2013 season...  Just depends on how hard I want to rehab it.

Good enough for me I'm going under the knife on april 24th!
Anybody want to tell me I won't be able to archery hunt this year?     Soon as that sling comes off at 6 weeks it'll be getting worked out as hard as possible...
Obviously if I'm able to shoot by then, my range will be significantly lower, and the summer is going to suck as I am a 5 day a week shooter typically... Looks like it'll be a PT filled few months!

Mike

[billythekidrock]

Just got off the phone with the docs office...

I have 4.5 months from the surgery date to archery season.  They said that because of how much it doesn't hurt me right now, and me only being 23, and it only being a PARTIAL tear, that there's a good chance I would be able to shoot my bow this fall, and will definitely be able to shoot it by the 2013 season...  Just depends on how hard I want to rehab it.

Good enough for me I'm going under the knife on april 24th!
Anybody want to tell me I won't be able to archery hunt this year?     Soon as that sling comes off at 6 weeks it'll be getting worked out as hard as possible...
Obviously if I'm able to shoot by then, my range will be significantly lower, and the summer is going to suck as I am a 5 day a week shooter typically... Looks like it'll be a PT filled few months!

Mike

Mine was better than a partial tear since it was surgical. The bone spur and calcium deposit are not the issue. It is the repair of the rotator cuff.

I doubt they will let you hit it hard at 6 weeks. Most of my work at 8 weeks is passive resistance with assistance. Meaning I can't do a lot with my left arm and most movement is assisted with my right. I have no doubt you can hit it hard at 12 weeks, but I am pretty sure they will want you to take it real slow at 6.

[BAR C3]

Just got off the phone with the docs office...

I have 4.5 months from the surgery date to archery season.  They said that because of how much it doesn't hurt me right now, and me only being 23, and it only being a PARTIAL tear, that there's a good chance I would be able to shoot my bow this fall, and will definitely be able to shoot it by the 2013 season...  Just depends on how hard I want to rehab it.

Good enough for me I'm going under the knife on april 24th!
Anybody want to tell me I won't be able to archery hunt this year?     Soon as that sling comes off at 6 weeks it'll be getting worked out as hard as possible...
Obviously if I'm able to shoot by then, my range will be significantly lower, and the summer is going to suck as I am a 5 day a week shooter typically... Looks like it'll be a PT filled few months!

Mike

Mine was better than a partial tear since it was surgical. The bone spur and calcium deposit are not the issue. It is the repair of the rotator cuff.

I doubt they will let you hit it hard at 6 weeks. Most of my work at 8 weeks is passive resistance with assistance. Meaning I can't do a lot with my left arm and most movement is assisted with my right. I have no doubt you can hit it hard at 12 weeks, but I am pretty sure they will want you to take it real slow at 6.

I just got released to strengthen last week. I have seen a big difference in that week. If you get cut, you have to lift your bad arm with the other for a 4-6 weeks after sling comes off. I only wore mine four weeks. Mostly while driving with the wife. She scares the hell out of me!  I kept it on while it was icy as well. The doc was scared if I slipped I would try and catch my fall with it.
Billy, I tore it again because I had my head up my butt! You don't throw 50-70 lb hay bales over your head. We put up at least 1,000 bales. Granted I didn't throw all of them. Anything over your head is a risk. When I lifted weights hard, those tricep head bangers are terrible. Upright rows, terrible, Behind the neck press, terrible. 
The other thing is you can do things like pull your bow back and other movements without problem if your not activating the rotator muscles. The biggy is if you can't sleep at night. That's the sign you need to see the surgeon.
Bottomline is take care of them when they get repaired!

[Huntbear]

At 6 weeks, all you will be doing is range of motion.  Trust me, after wearing a sling for 6 weeks, your shoulder muscles are like all bound up.  It will take a PT several weeks for you to be able to reach and scratch the back of your neck.

[high country]

Michael......start doing any strengthening you can now. Be nice on the roatator, but work everything else now.....and you might as well come up with an alternative plan to wiping your......that sux the most. Thank me later.

[buck man]

Well guys my dad just passed his 18 month mark after he had complete shoulder replacement surgery. He had not been able to shoot a bow for 15 years. After his surgery and some very painful PT sessions...about a years worth, he can now shoot a new bow I bought him at 57#. I believe all you guys will heal well and have many more decades of hunting ahead of you. 
Oh buy the way he is 70 now and has 90% of his shoulder function back. Just imagine a surgical rotary tear...all your bones deadeheaded and a new joint screwed and glued in place. Then reatach all the muscle.

[MichaelJ]

Got a call today for a surgery cancellation...   go under the knife tomorrow around 2pm  I'll keep u guys updated as it goes along...

Mike

[billythekidrock]

Good luck.

[xsf1]

heres an inspiring story.

I was working in southeast Alaska last October. I was working with a guy who just happened to only have use of one hand. this guy was an avid bowhunter, so I asked him how he held a bow up with one hand. he told me that he had invented a system that had he could use and operate with one hand using his chin to pull the trigger mechanism. Now I don't really know how it worked but I would go ahead and say that seeing this kind of motivation really influenced me into knowing that however hard something is, that guy had it harder... and he kills 6 deer a year (legally).

I think you will be okay

[MichaelJ]

Well two days after surgery and I'm feeling ten times better than I expected.  Only taking one pain pill every 7 hours or so and icing a couple times a day.  Obviously it is pretty tight and not a lot of movement but things are going well...  worse part so far was Monday after te operation not being able to eat or even drink water without throwing up....

Mike