Dislocated Shoulder

[varden]

I dislocated my shoulder back in october. I've been going to physical therapy and have finally regained my range of motion. Now on to getting my strength back. I'm right handed, and messed up my right shoulder.

Does anyone have any experience with shooting after having a shoulder dislocation? How long did it take you to get back up to speed?

[Robert Honaker]

Never had that. I would go slooooow.

[bowhunterfrompast]

I dislocated my shoulder, back in 1970, while I was in the Navy. The Doc said, after 2 weeks of my arm being strapped to my body, if you can move your arm, we won't have to operate. So, I moved my arm sideways, no surgery, no therapy, nothing. A few years later, I was shooting a bow.

In your case, I would think, you would be ready by fall deer season. I would follow the instructions of your therapist. They should know, how soon you could start shooting again.

[Flying Dutchman]

Last year in May I dislocated my collarbone. It hurted that much that I thought I broke something. The Doc said they wouldn't operate, because that was too complex. They explained that it had a new position and that I had to get used to that. I was in a sling for two weeks. It happend in the beginning of may. There is a hughe bulb on my shoulder, caused by the bone who is sticking up. It is my left shoulder and I am right handed.
Since nobody could tell my if bowshooting was allowed, I started shortly after I was out of the string. I August I was shooting already tournaments again. I found out that my shoulder feels better after some shooting!

[nchunter]

Varden,

Like you I shoot righthanded, and dislocated my right shoulder in a kayaking incident 13 years ago.  It must have been a bad dislocation, because my arm was in a sling for the better part of a month, and I had two months of painful physical therapy before I could raise my arm above level.

It was several years before I could shoot a 40-lb. bow without pain, and even now I can only shoot bows in the low-40's at a target match without feeling it at the end of the day.

Hopefully you'll fare better than I did, but be prepared for the possiblility of a less-than-full recovery, and don't shoot anything high-poundage!

[recurve3]

Varden,

Just take it slow, I dislocated my right shoulder in Jan 2008 and was in a sling for 6 weeks. As you start therapy and start feeling better there will be a temptation to push the limits, don't  push it, just go slow and you should be fine. I was back to full strength by the fall.

[bornagainbowhunter]

I dislocated my right shoulder about 5 years ago.  I too am right handed.  I still have a little pain the day after I shoot alot, but nothing too bad.  The Good Lord has helped me through this.  It was a real bad dislocation, messed up my clavical bone and all kinds of good stuff.  I waited for about 2 or 3 months before I pulled a bow back, even then I did not shoot a lot of arrows before giving my shoulder a break.  Just take it slow and easy.  If it hurts, don't do it.
As for the poundage issue, I shoot 67#@28" on one bow and 53#@28" on the other.  One thing I did notice was a change in draw legnth.  I had always pulled about 29", but now only 28".  I ain't sure how that happened.
Good Luck with your shoulder.

By the way, don't try to shoot a lefty bow for a while.  I thought I could shoot one and start back shooting sooner, BAD IDEA!!  The pressure pushing on a recently dislocated shoulder, no you don't want any of that!

[craig1955]

Go slow. Shoulders take a long long time to heal. Keep doing the range of motion exercises while you strength the shoulder.

[rickshot]

Yup, dislocated my right shoulder back in high school but that’s almost beyond memory. Doc opted not to set it, still have a hump on top, and doc pretty much ruled out sports…guess he didn’t know who was talking to. We’re all different but the body is an amazing piece of work and I went on to work construction most of my life, pretty much without looking back at injuries along the way.

Can’t tell you how long recovery will take but I’d suggest starting with the lightest bow you can manage and working up slowly…with arthritis in both shoulders, it’s what keeps me shooting today. Rick.

[varden]

Thanks for the input. Did any of you have the opportunity to ascertain whether it was easier to shoot a compound or a recurve early on? I can't afford lighter limbs right now, but I could dig the compound out and lighten it up a bit.

[blueline]

I don't care what you shoot. I would concentrate on building your muscles up before anything. they are the corner stone of your form. Find a 20 lb bow are so and shoot it until your range of motion is back and you are very comfertable with drawing and shooting. I would go against the compound because I dont think you will get it light enough for the first trainning you will be doing. I used the bands from the PT when I started back after I pulled 3 ribs out of my spine! Still hurts to think about, but I can shoot my bows now.....

[RecurveJim]

I dislocated both of my shoulders snowboarding,take it slow,I thought I felt able after about 6 months,so I started with 5 shots a day for a week,then 10 the next week,then my pulling shoulder got sore and didnt want to not be sore,I immflamed it and it wasnt rite again for about a full year,best advice is from your doctor.

[ablebonus]

I dislocated my left shoulder the 2nd day of an archery elk hunt in Sep 2009.  Luckily it immediately went back into the socket and I was able to finish the hunt.  And luckily I am right handed so just holding the bow with my left arm didn't bother it too much.

I am a hardcore weightlifter and that apparently helped it, but it wasn't until this week (over 4 months) that I was able to lift max weights again.

I was able to shoot my bow (without discomfort) after a month.  

I used these exercises religiously for the first month or so.   http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_shlddis_rex.htm

[MCNSC]

I am righr handed and dislocated my right shoulder a few years back (kayacking). I am not suggesting you do this but I was hunting within a month. I started out shooting a light bow I think it was about 20# when that didnt hurt I borrowed a 45# bow and shot it then up to 50#. I didnt shoot the heavier bows much. My shoulder would have pains for about a year but shooting didnt seem to bother it much. Of course each injury is different and you should do as the doc says.

[jsweka]

I dislocated my left schoulder my junior year of highschool (I shoot right handed).  I was swimming, racing another kid the length of the local YMCA pool - trying to impress my girlfriend at the time.  Going as hard as I could and it just popped out.  Thankfully before I reached the deep end of the pool!  Had it in a sling for 3 weeks and it is amazing how much the muscle atrophied.  I was shooting a 70 pound compound at the time and couldn't even hold it up.  Gained some strength back to where I could lift the bow, but still couldn't hold it while drawing.  Backed the limb bolts way out to where I thought they were gonna pop off and started from there.  It took me from April to September to regain all my strength.  But then just before bow season I dislocated it again.  This time it wasn't out as long and I put it back in myself before all the muscles stretched out too much.  Doc said it was OK to shoot a bow, but not to do anything over my head (i.e. climb trees).  So I hunted from the ground that year and ended up killing the biggest buck of my life so far.  I started lift weights after that to build up the muscle tissue and haven't had a problem since (eventhough the weight training went by the wayside when kids came along).

Best advice is to take it slow, give the ligament time to heal, and build up the muscle tissue.  The schoulder joint is not a true ball-and-socket joint like the hip and the only thing holding it together is soft tissue.  Tear that up and stretch it out enough and you can have chronic dislocation problems that will require surgery to repair.

[AKCrazyhorse]

Kyle my brother, looks like I'll be having surgery on my right shoulder as well in the next month.  What will alaska due with both of us down for the count?