Rotator Cuff Surgery and Bowhunting?

[billythekidrock]

Any right handed shooters have rotator cuff surgery on their left shoulder?  If so, are you still able to draw and hold like before?

I just had this surgery a few weeks back and today was talking to a guy today who said he couldn't archery hunt anymore because of surgery in his left shoulder. He said he couldn't hold his arm out in the correct manner to hold the bow properly.

[JLS]

Hmm,

I haven't had surgery, and my cuff injury is on my right arm (shoot right handed).

My guess is, if you are dilligent/militant about your rehab, PT, and exercises for the rest of your life, you'll be fine.

I've found that the harder I focus on strengthening my shoulder, the fewer problems I have to the point of not really worrying about it anymore.  Seven or eight years ago I wondered how long I'd be able to bowhunt.

Make sure you let your physical therapist know what your trying to accomplish and I think you'll be fine.

[bobcat]

Maybe you need to drop down to a 60 pound bow like I did, because of my shoulder issues.   

I've been doing fine with it set at 53 pounds.

[high country]

I popped an ac lig two years ago. I had a surgery on it 18mos ago and again 6 months ago....mine is right side and I am right handed. I can just now do most ofcthe things I did presurgery. I feel for you, shoulders are the worst. At least you can still wipe.....try trashing your right side.

[dmr400]

Fortunately I haven't had to deal with an injury of this type, but I've pictures and videos of fellow soldiers with injuries to arms that were able to use a special release gripped in their teeth to draw and shoot using only one arm...talk about determination!

[billythekidrock]

Maybe you need to drop down to a 60 pound bow like I did, because of my shoulder issues.   

I've been doing fine with it set at 53 pounds.

Mine is a 60. Was hoping to move up to a 70# but I guess I will have to wait and see.

[pianoman9701]

I hurt my left shoulder about 2 months ago and the recovery has been slow. It still aches a bit and crackles when I work the shoulder. I'm hoping I can strengthen the muscles around the joint, but I'm starting to wonder. Please keep us updated to your progress on this thread.

[high country]

I hurt my left shoulder about 2 months ago and the recovery has been slow. It still aches a bit and crackles when I work the shoulder. I'm hoping I can strengthen the muscles around the joint, but I'm starting to wonder. Please keep us updated to your progress on this thread.

Mine still does that two years and two surgeries later. Sorry about yer luck.

[RadSav]

I assume you were sent to a PT after surgery.  Follow his/her recovery plan and I think you will be fine.  I did aqua therapy and it did wonders.  After that I was getting spasms quite a bit.  Acupuncture took care of that in one visit.

As mentioned above you might need to drop weight a bit.  The squaw shoots 24.5" at 50# and has been kickin' my behind the past few years on both elk and deer.  She shoots 'em just as far as I do and just as dead.  Only difference is I usually have pass thru on elk and hers usually bounce off the opposite side.  I think her arrows might even kill them quicker by staying in the boiler room.  I can't remember the last time she did not get complete pass thru on deer.

[JLS]

Maybe you need to drop down to a 60 pound bow like I did, because of my shoulder issues.   

I've been doing fine with it set at 53 pounds.

Mine is a 60. Was hoping to move up to a 70# but I guess I will have to wait and see.

The difference between 60 and 70 pounds is not as great as we make it in our minds.  If it's that big of a concern, buy a new bow.  Some of the newer bows shoot faster at 60 pounds than mine does at 70.

[high country]

You are going to learn that form is huge to your life going on happily. I can do the simplest tasks with less than perfect mechanics and it costs me a couple weeks of pain.

[Dr. Death]

Interesting topic....Been going to PT since Dec for my left shoulder. Have had xrays and MRI's. I have a bone spur and arthritus on the AC joint bone tips also crushed cartaliage in the AC joint. Thus causing major inflamation and swelling. Got a cortisone shot 5 weeks ago and is wearing off this week. SO talking about surgery also. Im 42 and been shooting for 36 of those years. Dr says its from all the pressure from all those years as I shot year round. Say they can just go in and clean it up and all will work fine, just lose maybe upto 10% of strength. Im good with that cause I have maybe 50% loss now. It is a scary thought though. I'd like ot hear more comments form others on this topic....later!

[billythekidrock]

Well I hadn't really meant to post all of my info but it may help with the conversation and may encourage others to jump in.

I started having muscle/shoulder spasms that would kink my neck and pop a rib behind my shoulder, which caused many chiropractor visits. Just brushing off a table or even lifting my pack with my left arm would cause me sharp or radiating pain. It got to where I could not put a pack on unless I put in my left arm first. Same with putting on a long sleeve shirt or jacket.

Basically my issue was a calcium deposit and bone spur. They had been really bothering me for a year before I found out what was going on. I got a cortisone shot that lasted a whole two days. Instead of getting another one at six month, I waited over a year to go back and check my options.

The first option was to try and break up the calcium deposit with a blast of water, but if that didn't work we would still have to do surgery.

Then it looked like I was going to get bumped or even lose my job. Insurance would have been covered by my wife if I lost my job, but I would not be bringing in a paycheck. I opted to go in for immediate surgery covering it with my insurance and being able to use my sick leave, I was still getting a check. Had there not been a possibility of losing my job, I may have waited another 6 months to a year.

The surgery was supposed to take 4 hours, but it was not as simple as they thought and it actually took 6 hours. The calcium deposit created a pit in the tendon and bone that needed cleaning up. After grinding the bone spur they shaved the collarbone to remove arthritis and hopefully give me better movement.

So now I am nearly 8 weeks out of surgery, still have my job, and I am regretting it. The surgery that is.

Below is a pic of the stitches and some arrows. The primary incision was where the sharp pain was coming from. Now it is just a dull ache.

The collarbone incision is the location of most of my current pain. I am sure that this because they shaved the collarbone and the muscles are still short.



The pit beneath the calcium deposit was cleaned and bored to fit the anchor.


The anchor looks like plastic but it is really porcelain.


Anchor inserted with stitches.


One stitch finished, one to go.


Here is a before x-ray of my collarbone.


And here is the after.


That is not photo shopped. It looks (and feels) as if they just cut the whole end off.

[pianoman9701]

So you regret it because of the pain? What so they say for a long term prognosis? Sounds like a tough surgery, maybe the convalescence is expected to be lengthy? Can you give us more info?

[billythekidrock]

I regret it because of the constant pain I am in now and the loss of range and motion I currently have and have been told I will lose.

It was not a tear, until they operated. I elected to have the surgery to remove an issue that caused me intermittent issues.

At my 6 week check up they told me that 50-60% of rotator cuff surgeries fail and require additional surgery.  I was told that my young age (40+) was a positive and that they surgically "tore" the rotator cuff was better than a real tear.

I am not able to shoot a rifle or bow for another 5 weeks and they said it could be up to 8 months to completely heal.