Shoulder surgery

[TC]

I'm going in for shoulder surgery (rotator cuff) on June 28. What do you think my chances are of hunting this Fall? Any advice?
Thanks

[Blueridge]

Good depending on what you have done. I had a bad tear and spur ground off, holes drilled etc...   This was in the late 90's and I had the surgery in early June . I made bow season and could shoot my 70# Widow by late September . Just take easy with your rehab and dont rush it.  Had to shoot 40# and work back up, take your time. Good luck

[TC]

ttt

[coltar]

You may have to shoot a lower pound bow,& maybe catch the tail end of season.It took me 5-6 months before I could shoot a bow & I dropped nearly 20 lbs in draw weight to 44lbs.

[coltar]

By the way,hope all goes well with your surgery,mine went great.

[Colotrad]

I had rotator cuff and bicep tendon repair on January 26th.  I was told not to plan on pulling my bow for 4-5 months.  I was careful on my rehab.  Did what the doc's said to do, and didn't do the things they warned me not to do.  I got the doc's ok to start pulling my 53# shrew at 3 months.  Some weakness and pain (ache), so my accuracy was off for a few weeks, but it is coming in now (4 months).  I start fading by the end of a good shooting round 50-70 arrows, but it's getting better every day.  You should be OK with your late and long running seasons, but if you are coming here for elk or mulies (starts the last week of August) you might be pushing it a bit.
Good luck,
Steve

[Pops]

I'm trying to put off my surgery need a total
shoulder replacement. Doc is going to cut my
rotator going in and fix it on the way out.
I'm told I'll be down a year.  

[Mike Vines]

I'd say do exactly as the therapist tells you, and the healing will be amazing.  It's their job to know how to fix what you ruined.

[BUFF]

I didn't listen. Grabed up a 74# 4months after surgery
Pulled something and was down for 2 more months
Do what they tell you

[joe vt]

Good timing of topic......I see my doc tomorrow morning to discuss my MRI results   :(


TC, I hope everything goes smoothly.

[Kenboy]

Sorry to hear about your shoulder -- that really sucks. But take it from a guy who's been through two rotator cuff repairs (the doc accidently left in a couple of small tools during the first one, tearing a new hole in the tendon, so I had to go in for a revision surgery 9 months later). DO NOT PUSH IT. Follow your physical therapist's orders religiously and don't try to go faster than she instructs. Your object is full , not fast, recovery. The speed of your recovery depends on the injury you sufered, the kind of repair performed, your age and several other factors over which you have no control. The success of your recovery, however, is entirely up to you. Do precisely the amount and intensity of therapy excuses prescribed and no less -- and most importantly, no more -- and your shoulder will feel normal in about 6-9 months and be 100% in a year.  

I'm the kind of guy who, if told to exercise with 5 pounds for 5 reps, thinks that 10 pounds for 10 reps would be twice as good (or at least heal me quicker). I had to learn to stop thinking that way.  If you push your range of motion or weight or intensity or repetitions of an exercise too early, it's really simple to pull the repaired tendon right out of the anchors. Think of pulling a bow sting with several broken strands. It might hold ...  But then again ...

If you're getting cut in June, your chances of pulling any bow by autumn, particularly a heavy enough bow to hunt with, are pretty slim. The good news is that if your injury is in your drawing hand's shoulder, the act of pulling a bow builds the small muscles in the back that stabilize your rotator cuff to protect against new injury in the future.

After my second surgery, I had complete recovery of a long, full-thickness tear and a couple of more bad tears in my labrum. I recovered full range of motion and all the strength I've ever had, with no pain or arthritis or anything else, within a year. I'm almost 60 and shoot a 62# Black Widow at least 100 arrows a day. But it took some time. I was lucky, though. I had a really hot therapist, a freezer full of ice and a few cases of Heinekins.

Good luck.

[TC]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the advice. It seems as if a number of guys either are experiencing or have experienced the same thing that I'm going through.

[Winterhawk1960]

Kenboy pretty well covered the topic. That being said, I had rotator cuff surgery in mid February of this year. He repaired the supra spinatus tendon and also a tear to the labrum in my right (string) shoulder. It was mid May before I was given the OK to shoot my bows again. Like others have already said above, follow your surgeons and physical therapists advice. The first few weeks after surgery it will feel like you have someone elses arm attached to your body, but this will pass. Then begins the physical therapy, and the first few sessions of that feel like true torture. First they will work with you to obtain your FULL range of motion back and it hurts like hell. When your range of motion is back to 100% then they will work on strengthening the supportive muscles in the shoulder.......but to me, the worst is behind you by this time.

I can only speak from my experience, but when you finally get to shoot again, I really noticed my inability to shoot as many arrows as I was used to shooting before. It will all come back, just don't push yourself and be patient. I'm still nowhere near 100%......but that will come in time. Oh, by the way, all of my bows range from 42# up to 52#. Start with your lightest one first.

Winterhawk1960

[arrowhead archer]

pops did the doc explain to you that you probably won't be able to lift your arm past shoulder height. Thats what my doc told me after 2nd surgery on same shoulder.

[Mudd]

We are    follow your dr's advice and instructions.


      God bless,Mudd  

[RPolk]

Of all of the joints we do, shoulders rehab the slowest. However, they rehab very well IF the patient has patience! Listen to your Doc and Therapist and things generally go well.

[DennyK]

What Mudd Said! Hope all goes well with your surgery and a speedy recovery.