Best form for joints

[swampthing]

Been shooting for a while and would like to continue to do so. Anybody got any info on as to what "form" is easier on the joints?  Mainly, the draw elbow. Get it behind the nock, as in the form clock? OR, get it paralell/inline with the nock??

[McDave]

I shoot with someone who has chronic shoulder pain, and he was told that drawing the bow with a low elbow, so that the elbow never rises above the position it assumes at full draw is better for the shoulder than drawing with a high elbow so that the elbow comes down to its position at full draw.  I don't have shoulder problems (yet) but I've tried drawing both ways, and the low elbow approach does feel better to me.

Clearly, though, the obvious and most important thing to do is to shoot as low a poundage bow as will fill your needs.  Unless, of course, you just make up for shooting a lower poundage bow by shooting more arrows!

[AllenR]

I had a bout with AC joint impingement in my string shoulder last year and found that the low draw helped me through that.

I'm currently going through soreness in my bow shoulder.  The only thing with my form that's helped me on that is to open up my stance and shoulders a little more.  A friend explained to me that each of us has a specific angle of our bow arm that is optimum for strength.  For me it turned out to be with the toe of my left foot about even with the heal on my right foot.

I've never had problems with my draw side elbow, but have with the bow arm elbow.  The main thing that helped me was the elbow strap that you can get at drug stores and sporting goods stores.  I found that for this to do any good, I had to pull it as tight as I could stand it.  I also examined my form and realized that I was unnecessarily tensing the muscles below my elbow.  Learning to relax them also helped.

Lower draw weight or a break from shooting is always a good idea when something starts hurting.

[swampthing]

I've been experimenting with the Howard Hill Spread Draw. Feels more like doing a reverse fly as one would do with the dumbells, picture lying on a bench face down...  now hold two light 15lb weights on the ground beneath you, use back tension and your rear deltoids to lift the weight out 90deg to the body and squeeze the shoulder blades together to complete the upward movement. With the Spread Draw it feels the same as this exercise, as long as you keep the string close to your arm as you opener' up, and keeps both shoulders inline from start to full draw.

[McDave]

That sounds great, Jesse.  Sounds like what we ought to be doing anyway, shoulder pains or no shoulder pains.

[Terry Green]

Proper alignment!!!!!!!!!

Bone on bone...look at the form clock.

[swampthing]

Getting that shoulder back, lets tension leave the draw arm, Now that bow is quiet!