draw arm shoulder pain

[spurdude]

I've been drawing the bow with back tension like Tom Clum shows on one of his videos. Keeping my hand out away from my body and keeping a 90 degree angle on the bicep and forearm and rotating my hips to bring everything to anchor. It seems to work really nice with no strain. Except I am developing some pain on top of my shoulder not in the joint per say. Looking in the mirror I noticed I subconsciously was shooting with a high elbow. This looked like it was compressing down on the top of my shoulder. Iam taking a few days off using ice and anti inflammatories . Am I right to suspect this is my issue? Some video personalities say drawing with a low shoulder and raising to the draw to anchor strains the rotator cuff in the front. A little confused as to where the sweet spot is to draw without the impingement.

[moebow]

If you're getting pain with the rotational draw, you are doing something wrong. It is not easy to learn on your own you really need a little hands on instruction.

[spurdude]

Wouldn't that be nice. Not always easy when you live 50 miles away from the closest bow shop that caters to compound bow shooters.

[McDave]

I learned the rotational draw from Arne's video, and if you haven't watched it, or haven't watched it lately, it would be worth your while to watch it again.  I thought I was using the rotational draw for several years, but I really wasn't, until I watched his video again and paid attention to the fine points.

One of the fine points I missed the first time around was that the rotational draw is accomplished by initially raising the arms slightly higher than the anchor position, and then drawing back and downwards to a point slightly below your anchor.  The string hand is then raised up to the anchor.  This upward movement is no more than 1/2 to 1”, and is done after you are at full draw with fully engaged back muscles.  Any effort to reach full draw with a pull in an upward direction makes it difficult to engage the back muscles.  (Arne might go so far as to say impossible, because, as he puts it, there are no back muscles up there to engage).

Anyway, I’m dwelling on this particular fine point because it might be a reason for your shoulder pain, if you are doing it incorrectly.

[spurdude]

Thank you I believe I will try to find that video while Im resting up. I talked to my Chiropractor and told him my problem. First words were "Watch that Elbow" He said the high elbow is probably the issue and he did say too low an elbow can cause problems. He said everyone is different you just have to shoot a few arrows and see if discomfort returns and make small adjustments. I guess I'm not the only archer he has for a patient.

[spurdude]

Can anyone point me to the video?

[McDave]

[spurdude]

thanks appreciate the effort in posting the video. it helps