Bow Arm Shoulder/Bicep Issues

[Huntrdfk]

Wondering if anyone has experienced the same. I have significant pain in my shoulder when doing certain movements, including while shooting, along with pain in my bicep and triceps areas. Shoulder movement is limited to the point that putting a jacket on is painful, and taking a gallon of milk out of the refrigerator is uncomfortable. I have an appointment with my primary care scheduled,  am sure they are going to refer me to a local shoulder specialist. Just wondering if anyone has had the same type issues to include the bicep tricep area.

Thanks,
David

[GCook]

Yep.  Could be simple but seeing a doctor is the right move.

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[PICKNGRIN]

Just saw my doctor this past week.  I mentioned my left shoulder pain.  My worst fear was a torn rotator.  Turns out my problem is bursitis/tendonitis.  He gave me a brochure showing several excercises to help with it.  He wants me to try them for a while.  He said a cortisone shot would also work well for this.  You might search bursitis/tendonitis to see what will help, but I think you should see the doc.

[McDave]

Normally the first thing they’ll want to do is determine if you have a tear in your rotator cuff.  If so, they will recommend treatment for that, which could be physical therapy if the tear is not too severe, or an operation if it is more severe.  If there is no tear, there is probably inflammation, which they will treat with higher powered anti-inflammatories than the ibuprofen you can buy across the counter, and also physical therapy.  They may send you to an orthopedic doctor to get a cortisone shot.  If this is your first experience with this and had no traumatic injury, they can probably fix you up almost as good as new in 6 weeks or so.  Whatever they find out, take it as a warning shot across the bow and make adjustments in your shooting and exercise program so it doesn’t recur and become chronic.

[Sam McMichael]

I had surgery several years ago on the shoulder of my bow arm. I had a torn labrum, but fortunately, the rotator cuff was o.k. Also, I had a torn tendon in my chest muscle. After the surgery, I had several weeks of therapy. I recovered most of my strength and flexibility. I can still shoot my hunting bow (53#) just fine, although I did have to reduce the draw weight down to 40# for a while. The only problem I still have is that I can't pull the bow when my bow  is canted to a totally horizontal position. This has hurt me  on a few funky 3D targets but has never come up in a hunting situation.

Discuss your situation with the doctor and let him know exactly how it feels. He will want to know what you hope to realize from surgery or whatever treatment is used. I let him know that my archery was my primary concern, and he addressed that in my therapy routine. Sometimes, injections and therapy are all that is needed to solve the problem. It is possible that pain will be projected down into your arm. That happened to me. Whatever you do, discuss this fully with your doctor and follow any instructions given. This also applies to the therapist. Don't try to ignore and power through the pain, as it won't go away on its own. This situation is bearable and fixable, so hang in there.

Now, my other shoulder is having issues...

[BO-R]

I had similar symptoms on both shoulders for several years, went to a orthopedic and he pointed to rotator tears, so I kept getting the cortisone shots. In 2017 new treatments for stem cell therapy was the hot topic and when I went to that specialist he reexamined my previous MRI's and found a little misdiagnosis.
My major issue was biceps tendon tears and frozen shoulder issues that are very similar to rotator cuff symptoms.
So I had both shoulders repaired 6 months apart, full year of therapy and recovery.
2019 back to shooting 50#s with no issues.

[fisherick]

I had an issue with bow shoulder pain and upper bicep pain. I made appointment with primary care doc and then a orthopedic doc. It seems I had tendonitis in the shoulder and a small tear in my bicep muscle. I got a shot in the shoulder that helped with the pain. A few weeks later I was carrying my ML in my left hand down the stairs to the basement when my bicep muscle tore off the shoulder and balled up. The ortho said they don't reattach the muscle and will be better in a few weeks. I feel the arm is only at 80-90% of strength. Three years latter the shoulder is acting up again and am seeking a different ortho. Get it checked out and take it easy.

[GCook]

Man fisherback, that's a bad deal.  They did a complete reattach of my right bicep.  They also pulled my labrum out of the shoulder socket and reattached since it was torn 2/3rds off. 
Sometimes it is wise to realize half of the doctors out there graduated in the bottom half of their class.  Research your doc before you use them. 
My orthopedic has repaired both of my shoulders, worked on both of my knees and did carpal tunnel surgery on both of my hands.  Not to mention working on my back.
But he has earned my trust over the last decade.  The first three I saw I only saw once each as their response and plan was not what I expected nor did they instill any trust in their ability.

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[Huntrdfk]

That’s really what has me worried. I get the shoulder issues, and know there is treatment for it. The bicep and tricep pain is not expected. I’ve been active my entire life in athletics of some sort, as a baseball coach I threw batting practice every day during the season, 200 plus pitches a day and that shoulder and arm is fine. Not so much on the left side.
I’ll let you know what the prognosis is after I see the docs.

Thanks to all of you,
David

[Wudstix]

Hoping for the best.  ;-)

[Mike Bolin]

I dealt with (still do to some extent) similar issues 3 years ago. My biceps/triceps pain was directly related to a rotator cuff impingement. My shoulder hurt so I was using my arm muscles to compensate for my shoulder weakness. Physical therapy helped me a lot, but I still need to do some basic exercises a couple of times a week or the stiffness and pain starts creeping back. The exercises only take about 5 minutes. All this came to a head after having both my knees replaced as I was using my arms and shoulders a lot more to get up from sitting/laying down and using my walker.

I let me knees go way to long and actually damaged my lower back. I was using my back muscles to lift my legs to step over stuff, climb ladders and stairs. We tend to push ourselves thru pain to get things done and keep going and our bodies find a way to compensate for minor injuries and weaknesses. If those minor injuries aren't treated, they can become major issues and in some cases cause damage to other muscles, tendons ect.

DEFINITELY see your doctor and if physical therapy is prescribed, follow your therapists directions to the letter. PT is not fun, but it does work. My shoulder exercises were very simple and I thought I was wasting my time. After about 2 weeks of PT I realized that simple things like getting a jar off the top shelf and putting on my jacket was suddenly easier. I hope and pray you get some answers and that your issues can be handled without surgery!

[Garman]

Huntrdfk, my wife has been an athletic trainer for 15+ years. Part of ber job is diagnosing these things. Here is her thoughts...if you have associated neck pain then they may look at a cervical radiculopathy. If no neck issue then, likely rotator cuff tendinitis. I hope that helps, it will be interesting to know if she is right.

[Dave Lay]

Just a story about bicep tendons, I’ve broken both of mine
   I detached my drawing arm ( left) bicep a few years ago in a treestand fall and knew exactly what I had done when my bicep balled up high on my upper arm, it was 2nd week of bowseason and I could still draw my bow by modyfing the draw a little, it hurt to shoot and climb trees, but like a DA I continued to hunt, I told my wife after rut I’d go see my orthopedic doc. I only shot my bow when shooting at a deer but I did kill 3 deer with it detached, but  because I waited so long the upper tendon retracted up to my shoulder and required a pretty extensive surgery to repair it. But in a few months I was back shooting a 63lb recurve.
     2 years later I broke my right bicep tendon also during hunting season, but this time I gave up the rest of the season and had the normal surgery in a few weeks after breaking it. I’m weaker in both arms than I was but it hasn’t affected my bow shooting or hunting ..
   Good luck I hope it’s minor
     
   

[Petrichor]

How heavy of a bow are you shooting?

[Captain*Kirk]

Great advice here.
Seek a doctor's advice, and let him know about your archery interests.
Part of my past injury therapy included (after a 2 month layoff) gradually shooting a few arrows a day only using a very light bow.

[Petrichor]

Great advice here.
Seek a doctor's advice, and let him know about your archery interests.
Part of my past injury therapy included (after a 2 month layoff) gradually shooting a few arrows a day only using a very light bow.

Did you say light???? Oh lord here comes another heavy bow thread......

[Captain*Kirk]

Great advice here.
Seek a doctor's advice, and let him know about your archery interests.
Part of my past injury therapy included (after a 2 month layoff) gradually shooting a few arrows a day only using a very light bow.

Did you say light???? Oh lord here comes another heavy bow thread......

 

[Hud]

I had an impinged rotator cuff, in my right shoulder, the doc referred me to a therapist, that diagnosed the problem and recommended treatment. Thinning of the RC will caused discomfort when using the arm.  It took about 5 months to build those muscle back up. Pain in the upper arm muscles may be unrelated, but sounds like a strain, brought on my over-use (stretching).  It may just involve therapy, if caught early. Stop using the arm and see a doctor, and/or therapist.