Things are looking up here in the past couple of weeks! I was released from physical therapy for my hand numbness and the rheumatologist has told me that all of my blood tests are good!
The tightness and pain in my shoulders was nerve related. I have learned that there is a "tunnel" in each shoulder and elbow, like the carpal tunnel in the wrists. Some of the exercises I had been doing put too much stress on the shoulders and elbows and my problems were caused by pinched/impinged nerves in my shoulders. I was going way too deep in my "knee dips" and doing way too many per day. I now do a lot of stretches and some strengthening exercises for the rotator cuffs in my shoulders. The stiffness and numbness in my hands gets less and less, my shoulders don't ache as much and the mobility is much improved and I am shooting again!!
I can't handle my hunting weight bows quite yet, but a friend loaned me a 35# recurve and a well known bow company sent me a 43# longbow the same length and grip as mine. Told me to shoot it as long as I need too! When I got the longbow on May 19, I could only shoot it 9 times, but I went to 2 bow shoots this past weekend and shot 30 targets at each shoot. Feeling better everyday and I should be shooting my 50# bows by the time I go on the Black Widow Bear hunt in late August. I was able to make some 12 grains per pound arrows for 43# bow that fly great. I shoot 12 gpp from the 50#ers so I am thinking that the trajectory is close between the two bows. Biggest issue I have now is not shooting too much!
Wish me luck!>>>-------> Mike