Post by: Wood2Sawdust on August 10, 2024, 01:36:58 PM
Post by: baldopepper on August 10, 2024, 04:41:42 PM
Post by: vandeman17 on August 10, 2024, 04:46:32 PM
Complete tear with retraction on mine. Major tear on another. Sports medicine doc said I should have surgery, but second opinion from a shoulder specialist and he recommended intensive pt instead. He honestly told me surgery on older people (I was 75 when diagnosed) is not a good idea. Recovery is long and often very painful and likely hood of a retear is fairly high. I went thru a complete pt program and my shoulder is now about 85% of normal with no pain. I have two friends who had the surgery (both late 60s) one did retear within 18 months and the other is still fighting shoulder pain and regrets doing it. Not saying you shouldn't do it, just research it carefully and I'd recommend a 2nd opinion who clearly goes over alternatives.
I agree with this. At your age, I would strongly consider a physical therapy/recovery protocol over surgery. It might not be fun but gives you a good chance of being back to close to normal relatively quickly
Post by: Wood2Sawdust on August 10, 2024, 05:26:30 PM
Post by: baldopepper on August 10, 2024, 05:36:07 PM
Post by: bornhunter on August 10, 2024, 05:56:59 PM
Post by: Stein on August 10, 2024, 08:04:09 PM
Post by: Wood2Sawdust on August 10, 2024, 08:26:22 PM
Post by: jeffro on August 10, 2024, 11:35:46 PM
No pain relief
No range of motion improvements
No strength improvement
Only a huge a.. Dr bill
Can still pull my bow
Can’t shoot a rifle without pain
Doesn’t mean I won’t but I take that extra breath
Post by: fishngamereaper on August 11, 2024, 05:58:14 AM
Surgery is no guarantee
My shoulder is trash, 3 different tears and nerve damage. Was talked out of surgery by a very respected shoulder doc and a few of the PTs I know. Scar tissue is a major hurdle.
The daily PT and strength training is keeping it functional. No more heavy weights. Just bands and body weight, range of motion stuff.
The people I know that had surgery had a heck of time recovering and aren't near 100 percent.
I can still pull the bow, she's just tuned down from what it used to be, and allot of it is technique over power anyway.
Post by: Seabass on August 11, 2024, 08:47:05 AM
I have a torn rotator cuff and 3 torn tendons, trying to put off surgery until March. Went down to 53lbs on bow the last few years. Would like to hear others experiences with this and how it affected them and their bowhunting. Did it effect draw length, form etc after surgery? I'm 68 and not ready to give up any of my hunting. Thanks I will add to this after recovery next year
Which shoulder is bad…bow hand or release hand?
Post by: Wood2Sawdust on August 11, 2024, 09:31:33 AM
Post by: grousetracker on August 11, 2024, 11:01:18 AM
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on August 11, 2024, 11:06:32 AM
Learn appropriate technique for drawing and for stabilizing the bow to keep what you currently have and prevent further damage. Draw arm should be elbow high, and engaging lats and scaps for bulk of pull. Low elbow and shoulder head is recipe for disaster.
Bow arm should be set by pulling armpit to back pocket keeping shoulder in socket, rather than rolling out.
Post by: GWP on August 11, 2024, 12:14:08 PM
The statistics are after you tear one side the other will be 7 years later, then 7 more until the other side again.
My 4 followed that pattern within a year or two. Both tore 'something' again after repairs were made, so are both compromised. Not bad enough to do another surgery, but certainly bad enough I will not be pulling back a bow of much draw weight.
Like I told a friend when he was heading for cuff surgery, "It will never be as good as it was, but it will be better than it is now".
As has been said, it takes a long time to heal. It is also said it is one of the few surgeries that a man can get close to the pain of childbirth, though in a different location.
Best of luck in your decision!
Post by: Seabass on August 11, 2024, 12:27:34 PM
release hand, but the bow hand is starting to go
I had a release hand shoulder issue a few years back…couldn’t pull far enough to turn the cam over. I remedied the problem through PT but it took a bit of time and I needed to hunt before the shoulder was fixed.
My PT showed me a way to pull until I was fixed and it got me through that season. Traditional proper form is to pull with the elbow high. I had to break “proper form for a season but it worked and allowed me to pull with far less pain.
If you keep your elbow tight to your body and think about tucking your scapula into your back pocket, you will engage WAY more lat, trap, and upper back muscle than you will with your elbow high. That will take some of the pressure off the rotator’s.
At the same time tryi to focus on pushing the bow away with your bow hand. I started with the bow hand very close to my body while starting the pull so that I had more room to push the bow away from you.
It took me a fair amount of practice simply due to the fact I had pulled the traditional way for 20 years.
Post by: scotsman on August 11, 2024, 03:25:28 PM
Post by: baldopepper on August 11, 2024, 05:29:06 PM
Post by: vandeman17 on August 12, 2024, 10:52:37 AM
Post by: Dr. Death on August 12, 2024, 11:38:12 AM
Post by: pianoman9701 on August 12, 2024, 03:06:46 PM
Post by: Wood2Sawdust on August 12, 2024, 08:18:43 PM
Post by: Doublelunger on August 12, 2024, 09:08:25 PM
Post by: smalldog on August 15, 2024, 06:28:19 PM