surgery and rehab

[NightHawk]

next thursday I'm having my second shoulder surgery in 3 years :-(  I'm not looking forward to it and plan on trying to rehab as fast as I can. Has anyone ever used the bowfit for this kind of rehab? and if so what was your experience using it?

                    thanks

                  hawk

[Mudd]

Sorry you're having to do it all over again. I had to have mine rebuilt after getting run over while riding a motorcycle. I used my ceiling and a pulley to do rehab at home.
 This next week(10th) I'll be having back surgery and I'm so looking forward to getting it done. My Dr, tells me my 2009 season will be over. I have strict instructions not to pick up a bow for at least 6 weeks after-wards. I'll be having withdrawals like crazy by the time 6 weeks goes by...lol
I wish you all the best and my prayers are with you and your surgeon.
God bless,Mudd

[Doc Nock]

Mine's been at least 6 years, but the one thing I've learned and share is to make SURE your surgeon is clear on the following:

You want to know where the line is and all the indicators where you might do damage as you push to your goal.

They (medicos) worry about people's pain. I told him that he is to let me worry about pain and he's to make sure I know where the line will be between "pain and damage".

Mine got it. He made it crystal clear.

I dind't need any specialequipment. I went for flexibility and then strength. I just did what the PT's told me to do and how much... Once the doc said "you can't hurt what I did to fix you, but it will hurt YOU if you do too much"...then the party was ON!

I got cut August 27th and was shooting my hunting weight bow by first week in November.

Your mileage may differ. Damage extent, type and required repair all affect the healing time before full rehab.

So many folks I've met with shoulder surgery either didn't push, or pushed too soon and ended up with return bouts of work done and serious delays, not to mention the ordeal over again.

FWIW...    

Keep the Son in your eyes and prayers for a good operation and quick healing!

[Autumnarcher]

I had shoulder surgery 2 years ago. No Rotator Cuff tears, just some bone spurs removed etc. Still hurt like hell for  couple weeks afterwards. Once the swelling went down, and I started getting some range of motion back, I started PT.

My PT gal told me after I fully explained to her what muscles and movements were involved in shooting a traditional bow, that start light, and let pain be your guide. She was emphatic that if it hurts-stop. Pain is your bodys natural defense against injury. She told me flat out "No Pain-No Gain" is NOT the way to go. Sore is ok, pain is not.

As I progressed and finished PT, I asked for and was given a bunch of exercises that isolated specific muscles in the shoulders, and continued them for 2-3 months after I finished PT to continue to build up my shoulders. It was well worth it, and I healed 100% with no limitations or loss of strength and function.

I was shooting a 20# bow 3 weeks after surgery, and gradually worked back to my hunting weight bow by the time I returned to work 8 weeks after surgery.

If you are having a RC tear repaired, this is going to be quite a bitlonger. The worst thing you can do is to re-tear it before it heals.

Good luck to you, and heal well.

[lpcjon2]

hey when you recover maybe you will be able to pull 75# or better you are the next bionic bowmen.Good luck and god speed on your recovery.

[reddogge]

Not shoulder but torn elbow tendon surgery this year but PT and rehab would be similar.  Go over your goals with your therapist, don't push it to try to get there faster.  When done PT I went back to the gym and built my arm back up.

Meanwhile I went from a 20# Little Bear grandsons' bow to a 30# target bow for shooting rehab.  I was shooting the 30# in two months and my hunting bows in 3 months.  Full weight by 4 months.

[Gator1]

Got the call.

I have had shoulder problems for 9 months, and had an MRI last week. Nurse called and said I had a small tear in my shoulder. I'm waiting for the doc to call me on Monday.

Not good since I have a new bow coming next week. I'm waiting in Limbo.... I appreciate the information, and realize I'm going to be doing some sort of Rehad.

[olddogrib]

Your orthopaedic surgeon should be your guide. It all depends on what they find, most of which they don't know until they get in there.  I've had 3 shoulder arthroscopies, two rotator cuffs and on torn labrum.  The rotators were mainly cleaning of "pitting" and polishing.  The first was years ago and they still had to make an incision, but I rehabbed without PT. The second,(left shoulder, bow arm) they did all the work through the 'scope' hole and I actually played basketball two nights later.  Sore as h--- the next day, but the doc said I could not damage it and the more I used it, the less scar tissue I'd have and the quicker I'd heal.  Was shooting the bow again within weeks.  The torn labrum was a whole different story.  They said if I I'd been a horse, they'd have shot me.  PT took what seemed like forever!  And I don't shoot "knuckle dragger" draw weight any more!

[dpowers311]

I think it could help if you start low pounds and build. When I went to PT for my shoulder they gave me different color stretch bands. Not all the stretches work for me so we had to modify them but they kept saying that flexibility or range was to come first or the strength would never be there.

Make sure you understand what pain is and what damage is. Get the flexibility first or you will be fighting it forever.

Good luck
Dave