Pain When Shooting Daily

[BMorv]

I've been shooting traditional for a little over a year now and I've found that I get nerve pain when I start shooting a lot.  A lot for me means maybe +100 shots in a day or if I start trying to shoot everyday.  It's very frustrating because if I limit myself to shooting 3 times per week and only a few rounds on days that I'm shooting, I don't get the pain.  I would love to shoot everyday but dealing with the pain isn't worth it.

The pain that I experience stems from a weight lifting muscle/nerve injury that I sustained when I was in my early 20's.  From that point on I usually re-activate the pain a couple times a year and it takes a few days to subside.  It's a sharp throbbing type of pain that limits me turning turning my neck and it's difficult to sleep well.  

My question is do you think it's something in my form that could be causing this or do you think it's something that I need to manage by limiting my shooting as I'm doing?

I've been to chiropractors and they say that it's my bad posture that's the root of this.  I've fixed my posture to some extent and I don't badly re-activate this pain anymore, but shooting a lot seems to nag at it.

[Sam McMichael]

I can't shoot every day without pain, either. So, I don't. Pain may well be your body's way of telling you that you are overdoing it. I would suggest that you shoot less frequently for a while as well as fewer arrows per session. Most importantly, have a medical doctor take a look at it. Then follow his advice. Correct your shooting form when you are able to shoot without discomfort. I now have tendonitis in both elbows for not following my own advice.

[moebow]

A coach response here, NOT a Dr. or a trainer or a therapist!!  You aren't very specific as to the pain. In the neck leaves a lot of territory for speculation.

I suspect it MAY be form since a well executed shot should NOT strain anything in the neck.  Ideally the only use of the neck/neck muscles, while shooting, is to hold the head up; NOT to draw the bow.

I will agree with Sam, see a real Doctor, one that specializes in sports injury.

Post a video of how you shoot and let us take a look at what you are doing.  Video AFTER the pain has subsided, and before it flairs up again.  AND, don't shoot so long that you get the pain back.

Arne

[BMorv]

The pain is not very specific as it seems to be from a nerve getting pinched.  Most of the time the pain is right under my trap and works its way to my neck/spine.  It does move from one side to the other but it is most commonly on my bow arm side.  Pulling the bow equally left handed and right handed seems to make it feel better while shooting, but I still end up feeling it if I shoot a bunch.  
I'll see about posting a video tonight.  I've been wanting to get critique on my form anyway.

[BMorv]

And it will feel just uncomfortable while I'm shooting, not really that bad.  It doesn't get painful until that night or in the morning when I wake up.

[BMorv]

Here's a link to me shooting:  

It's from a few months ago when I was working on my form.

[moebow]

1.  Get your string hand thumb down, let it hover over your palm.
2. Your draw is all arm, no back. that puts pressure on the neck!
3. You are drawing uphill, into the neck muscles rather than down into the back.
Over all not a bad shot but with nerve pinch issues you could relieve that some with a high to low draw.

Arne

[BMorv]

Oh, I see it now.  Something seemed off with my draw, I just couldn't figure out what it was.  I actually watched all of your videos and was practicing implementing the things I had learned when I took that video.  But I see when I did a split frame that I'm pulling upward while you are pulling slightly downhill.  
I never even noticed the thumb thing. It seems that I have too much tension in my string hand causing the thumb to stick up.  
Do you think that by pulling downhill I'll naturally use more back muscles or is this something I'll have to practice separately from pulling downhill?  
Thanks a bunch for your help Arne!

[moebow]

Yes,  The downhill style draw promotes the natural use of your back muscles since they are under your arm level.  This helps you to use bones to open the bow rather than just pull it with muscles.  AND! allows a (more) relaxed neck area.

Arne