Follow through and string elbow pain?

[xtrema312]

I have been working the past month almost totally on close range indoor form work.  I have developed a much stronger and more constant string hand follow through.  I have also changed some string hand stuff and finger placement.  I think my hand and forearm are more relaxed than ever.  Now my string hand elbow is bothering me.  I think this is due to the changes.  Less tension in the hand and elbow should put less stress in my elbow so why the issue?  Could this be that I am over drawings a little and binding the elbow from compression of the bicep and forearm? If this is the case, I wonder if I used to protect the elbow from this with the tension I did have in the arm and now I don’t.  Or could it be that my follow through is too strong and causing a problem?  The follow through is a fairly strong snap of my hand to my shoulder.  Maybe a combination of the two?  

I am going to try and reduce draw length a little and try and tone down the snap in the follow through to a lot less hand movement like I used to do, but without the occasional collapse and dead hand to see what happens, but I was wondering if this is something easily identified so I can address the correct culprit without a lot of experimenting and change things that don’t need changing.

[moebow]

xtrema,  I'd really like to see a video of your shot to do justice to the elbow problem.  If as you say, your forearm and wrist are relaxed and if you are getting your back to "pull" your arm through the shot, your elbow angle from your full draw position to your follow through position should not change.  Your biceps and triceps should also be relaxed.  It sounds like you are using your arm muscles to ensure the follow through, rather than relying on your back to do it. Be careful not to reduce your draw too much and loose the alignment of your string forearm and the arrow in the horizontal plane.

Try a few blank bale shots and really concentrate on FULL (wrist/forearm/upper arm) string arm relaxation.  As I said, your elbow angle should not change (tighten up) at release.

[xtrema312]

I am fairly sure my forearm and hand are relaxed through the shot.  Maybe I am kicking in the bicep now and don't know it.  That could cause the harder snap of the hand to the shoulder and jar the elbow.  I will try to see if I can change that.  

Do you think a face on shot video would show what you need to see?  I can’t do an overhead right now.

[moebow]

A high from the rear would best, but lacking that, you could get the camera out in front of you at about a 30 to 45 degree angle from your arrow to target line.  That might show what your elbow angle is doing.  Fairly close to that as you are comfortable with shooting past your camera.  I presume a tripod and not a live camera operator.  

[xtrema312]

I will see what I can do if I can make it through all the snow to the barn to do it the next couple days, and if I have time in the dig out schedule.

[njloco]

I have to operate levers for work, some are real easy and some I need two hands to move them. I noticed that when I relax my hand strength too much I start to develope tendinitis in the elbow area. Once I notice the pain starting to bother me I just make sure I have a good grip on the levers before trying to move them and any arm discomfort just stops.

I know one is supposed to relax when shooting the bow, but I think it's only to a certain point. You must make sure to really feel that back tension almost from the get go, your probably aware of this but I thought I would mention it.

Arnica Montana works pretty good on pain and it also helps to heal. Comes in a gel and pill form from a health food store.

Hope this helps.