sore tendons in shooting hand

[mec lineman]

All of sudden my middle and ring fingers are getting sore when I shoot.  I typically don't shoot with a deep hook. When I do shoot with a deep hook it doesn't strain those fingers as bad.  I just cant get a good release. The bow weight is not an issue.  Any suggestions ,the problem is around the 2nd knuckle (MIDDLE)

[Bjorn]

Lots of icing will help a lot.

[gnihsifnamk]

Here are a few things I do:
-Work the opposing finger muscles. I like to put a rubber band around the tips of my fingers and work them in various ways. I wear the rubber band around my wrist and use it throughout the day.

-Warm up with a soft grip strengthener like a stress ball and keep another one in the car. I have another one in my hunting pack that i keep in my handwarmer muff.

Also a deep hook is a inherently stronger position so it may be worth looking into if the problem persists.

[snakebit40]

I hope Tim see's this he'll have a better explanation for what it is. I had the same problem so I iced and didn't shoot my bow for two weeks. Well I didn't shoot my right handed bow for two weeks, I learned to shoot left handed in case it flared up again during season.

[gnihsifnamk]

Here are a few things I do:
-Work the opposing finger muscles. I like to put a rubber band around the tips of my fingers and work them in various ways. I wear the rubber band around my wrist and use it throughout the day.

-Warm up with a soft grip strengthener like a stress ball and keep another one in the car. I have another one in my hunting pack that i keep in my handwarmer muff.

Also a deep hook is a inherently stronger position so it may be worth looking into if the problem persists.

[elk nailer]

take an antinflamatory, advil or motrin before you shoot.

[r-man]

drink water alot, and motrin, shoot less, rest more, do you have a cold?

[Bladepeek]

I had the same problem with my middle finger only, shooting 3 under. I first experienced it when I switched to a tab from a glove. The glove had some fairly stiff cordovan and the tab just thin leather and calf hair.

Arnie Moe, moebow on the shooters Form forum, explained there is a nerve which runs near the surface of the inside of the first joint. Some people are more sensitive to it than others.

I was carrying most of the weight of the string with my middle finger - like 60% middle finger, 30% index finger and only 10% on the ring finger. I started using a little deeper hook on the index finger so the string was in the joint of both the middle and index finger and that cleared it up for me. I did eventually go back to the glove, though.

Unlike you, I get a better, cleaner release and can keep my hand more relaxed with a deeper hook.

[gringol]

Take a break.  If you must, shoot just one arrow a day.  Motrin, ice, stretching, etc are good but if you don't give yourself a break you're just asking.for a long term problem.

[Caughtandhobble]

Originally posted by Bladepeek:
I had the same problem with my middle finger only, shooting 3 under. I first experienced it when I switched to a tab from a glove. The glove had some fairly stiff cordovan and the tab just thin leather and calf hair.

Arnie Moe, moebow on the shooters Form forum, explained there is a nerve which runs near the surface of the inside of the first joint. Some people are more sensitive to it than others.

I was carrying most of the weight of the string with my middle finger - like 60% middle finger, 30% index finger and only 10% on the ring finger. I started using a little deeper hook on the index finger so the string was in the joint of both the middle and index finger and that cleared it up for me. I did eventually go back to the glove, though.

Unlike you, I get a better, cleaner release and can keep my hand more relaxed with a deeper hook.

X2

I was having the same problem and I started using a much deeper hook. Now I use all fingers equally, with the combination of the deeper hook along with leaving the arm muscles relaxed throughout the shot sequence.

Like Bladepeek, my shooting has improved. I shoot with a tab (Rod Jenkins Tab). My fingers never hurt anymore. Good luck, and give your hand a break before trying too much new stuff.

[nineworlds9]

Stretching and heat.  Heat works wonders for tendon injuries, tendons have very little blood supply, heat increases circulation and promotes healing.  Ice helps reduce inflammation but I'm in the camp that believes inflammation is part of healing process so you don't want to stop all inflammation all together.

[mec lineman]

Thanks guys great input ! I been shooting a dura glove for the past 4 years.  shot a calf tab before and would wear them out constantly so I switched to a glove. I have always read that a deeper hook is much more stable and consistent. I have been doing linework for 14 years. When I first started wearing my 30,000 volt rubber gloves my joint would ache.

[nineworlds9]

This is the philosophy I agree with:

"If you deny injured tissues a full bout of inflammation, it's quite possible that the tissues won't return to full strength, especially if they've been injured before. Which is to say that by suppressing inflammation, you predispose an injured area to further injury."