Rotator cuff recovery

[Jock Whisky]

I recently had rotator cuff repair surgery. The supraspinitus muscle was torn in half and the biceps tendon was partially torn. For those of you who have had this kind of surgery what was the recovery time before you could shoot again. Any other info would be helpful

JW

[BAK]

I had some cuff repair along with 1/2" of clavicle removed.  That was in January and I was shooting again by fathers day.  But follow the therapy regimen closely.

[shadman]

About 6 months before I was shooting my hunting weight bows. After 4 months I was shooting a light weight bow. Your time may be less as I was 68 at the time of my surgery. Do your PT!!!

[Razorbak]

TAKE IT EASY..go thru the theraphy..I had the same surgery as you and with some extra pins installed and it took 3 months before I could pull a bow but by the 4th month I was shooting a light weight bow and by the 5th month i was back to full weight..I shot 2dz arrows a day in the early months and when I got to able to pull my full draw weight I went to 5dz arrows a day but the key is go slow and dont rush it or over do it and thats very important!!!  what they dont tell you that it averages between 9 to 12 months before you get full strength in shoulder and some people even longer

[Russ Clagett]

I had the surgery in June of this year, supraspinatis was totally pulled off...plus they refaced my collar bone and ground out many years of bursitis from the joint....

I was real careful to follow the therapy and pushed it in terms of stretching the joint back out to regain full motion and range...be advised that this will hurt...but it is worth it to have a good working shoulder again.

In september I was able to go elk hunting with my 59 pound longbow, but was not able to shoot my normal bow by that time.

Now, I am working out regularly again, and shooting my 81 pound longbow like I was before.

Much of this has to do with God's Grace, and not anything I bring to the table...

When the arm/shoulder hurts, just think of it as "difficult...but still possible" and you'll one day be better than before......

In the Army, we say it aint effort till it hurts...so keep that in mind too....

Good luck!

[YORNOC]

I'm in my 7th week, same as above. When you get the okay, push through the pain as best you can. They say I'm a month ahead of schedule, but then again most "non" archers hunker down and try to avoid the hurt. We want to shoot ASAP, so we have an advantage.
Be careful, dont do stupid things, tell them what you want to accomplish.
You and I will be drilling bullseyes in no time.

[Bjorn]

A lot depends on your age and what kind of shape you are in as well as the extent of the repairs. I have had 2 surgeries/recoveries; one was easy the other very tough. Follow the advice of your docs and therapists and watch those alpha genes. The posts above offer sage advice. Do all the therapy and then do some more.

[Badger Matt]

Follow the PT and do it religiously.  I had 6.5 hours of surgery well over a years ago and can't yet string my 52# recurve...  Of course, every time I start getting better I do something stupid again and reinjure it.

[Widow's Son]

All I can say is DO TAKE YOUR THERAPY SERIOUSLY. I was okay after 6 months but I didn't feel totaly healed until a year after.

[PrarrieDog]

I think this is my problem. I will make an appointment after the first of the year.
Looking forward to a solution for the pain and lack of strength.

[Jack Rehacek]

Its been 6 months since I have had my surgury(I had my left shoulder done ,I am right handed),I can just now pull my 42 pound Bear Grizzly back about 3 times.Had alot of stuff fixed in there, The doc says about 9 months to a year before I should be 90%.But everone is differant