Bad shoulder

[StanM]

I did a search on this, but thought I'd ask the question again.

My shoulder is not good.  I messed it up two years ago and have never quite recovered.  I went through PT and things got better for a while, but I'm still at a point where if I shoot 20-30 arrows I am really feeling it the next day, and that's with my lighter bows.

My question is, should I just go ahead and go under the knife?  Any one with similar experiences have some insight?  Thanks,

Stan

[joekeith]

As you can see, it ain't healin' itself, get it fixed.  Good luck.

[forrest-hunter]

I have the same problem. I sold all my bows over 50 lbs. Use rubber bands for exercise PT taught me.  Shoot a compound (Oneida) set at 48# with 80% let-off with a release when my shoulder is bothering me. Recovery is a very  long process. My shoulder was out about 4 years ago and has never recovered enough to shoot a 60-65# bow (which was my preference yrs. ago). The other thing I was told is that if it hurts-STOP. I'm 66 and also believe age has something to do with it. Good luck

[Rob DiStefano]

there are other options i'd pursue before surgery.  

getting into a daily stretching and pt routine is what saved my long time 'frozen shoulder' from the scalpel.  

lotsa times the problem isn't really in the painful area, it's instigated from somewhere else.  

since doing the pt exercises, stretching, therapeutic massage and chiropractic, there is no need for cutting me up at all and i'm back to my 55# bows and feeling/shooting great.  

there are homeopathic 'meds' that can help as well.  never believed in that stuff 'til i found one that absolutely worked for me, and continues to help.  it's an anti inflammatory gel called 'traumeel' - it works.  use it three times a day on yer shoulder, in addition to the pt and stretching.

best of luck.

[bozara]

You haven't said what the problem is...bicep tendon?  Rotator cuff?  Impingement?  If you haven't at least visited an Orthopod, it's hard to give any advice.

I've had three shoulder operations and shoot a 65# bow daily, up to 100 arrows a session.  One of those was necessary due to tremendous damage requiriing screws, etc.  The other two were more discretionary - glad I had them done.  Still have a hole in a rotator cuff that I won't have fixed unless it worsens - the recovery is too long for an old man.

[sorno]

I had rotator cuff  surgery yesterday; get a hold of me a year from now and I'll let you know if it was worth it...
Best advice I can give is to have a really good doctor who specializes in it check you out.  No matter how well meaning, the advice you get directly from a message board is not adequate; bozara alluded to it - without knowing exactly what the problem is, any advice you may get here is somewhere between spot-on and completely wrong.
Best of luck to you regardless of your course of action.
S.

[lpcjon2]

I would say do it modern medicine has come light years and what was a scary surgery years ago is now a piece of cake.Go and get the tune up! and throw in some new knees.I know plenty of people who have done it.  

[bearsfeet]

I have been in some pretty bad accidents ( being young and dum)
I was shooting 60 but since my “accidents” every time i would pull it back my collar bone popped out of place. I shot with it out and could shoot ok but it sure did not feel good getting it put back in place.

What I did was buy a 47lb bow and now I can shoot all day with no problems. I dropped 13 lbs of bow and have a great arrow setup with a carbon with EFOC and I am not to sure its not a better setup then my 60lber anyways.

Best of luck and if you do get surgery make sure you take into account your recovery so you get healed properly so you don’t have to do it twice.

[Rob DiStefano]

by all means, see at least a few orthopedists.  be aware that any surgery is a gamble - i've had my
share, some good, some not so good.  western medicine hasn't come a long way at all, not by a long shot.  investigate alternatives before doing anything invasive and non-retractable.

[Bowmag]

Like bozara I've got hardware in one of my shoulders to hold it together while it healed. Had some pretty severe damage but doc fixed it.
But I don't have the strength I previously had, even with a lot of rehab and exercises.
It took close to two years to get it back to really being functional.
The main thing is to do the therapy and exercises. Even if it hurts - a lot. MY PT told me "if you think this hurts, it's nothing compared to what it would be if the shoulder freezes up"

[SourOwl]

THE PROB. MAY BE SOMEWHERE ELSE; A COUPLE OF M.R.I.'S AND EX-RAYS DISCOVERED THAT MY PROB. ISN'T MY SHOULDER (CAN'T RAISE MY LEFT ARM MUCH), BUT A DISC PROB. IN THE NECK VERTABRA.  GOIN TO SEE THE NECK-GUY TODAY TO SEE WHAT HE RECOMMENDS.  THIS'LL BE THE  FORTH DOCTOR'S OPINION OF THE TESTING THAT WAS ONE, THEN I'LL DECIDE WHAT TO DO.  DON'T JUMP INTO SURGERY, BUT SEVERAL OPINIONS FROM THE ONES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE  MAKES IT EASIER/SMARTER TO PICK A SOLUTION.

[Ray Johnson]

I'm 2 months into an open rotater cuff repair surgey.I had a massive tear in my left rotater cuff from a work related injury.I started therapy about a month ago.It's still somewhat painful and I'm only doing passive range of motion therapy right now.I should start to strengthen it in 2-3 weeks.The doctor said that it will be 6 months before I'm doing my job again.The therapist said that I should be able to shoot again in a few months.Shoulder surgery is serious and takes a long recovery time but in my case it was necessary.I couldn't even draw my 44# recurve before surgery.I bought some 37# limbs for my recurve to use when I'm able to shoot again.Hopefully in 3 months.

[L. E. Carroll]

Stan,
 You and I have met in Vancouver [ I think we actually did a bow trade ] I had the Deltiod detach in my "right shoulder" at 55 years of age.  In this case they put a "heil coil" in the bone in the joint with a post that they used to re-attach the tendon and muscle with kevlar thread.  My shoulder was then immobilized for 6 weeks and then into theopary... Now that hurts worse than the surgery but well worth it         My work was terribly demanding on the body. Over the past 28 years I have had 3 hernia's repaired and surgery on both knees and now both shoulders.  As a result of all of this I'm now retired on a medical from the RR and loving every minute of it.

HARLEY'S and STICKBOWS.. Life is wonderful!!

Went back into surgery with the same DR...he's excellent by the way, and in Portland Ore. [ I'll give you his contact info if you like.]
This surgery was a "Piece of Cake" compared to the first.              
home ph# 360-263-7974
cell ph# 360-989-6355

[WOUNDED EAGLE]

See a ortho doc. and get a cat scan done,this will tell exactly whats wrong. I had my right sholder done in 6 01 it was badddd took 9 mo. of rehab.and in 9 02 had the left sholder done same as the other one,but in my case it was an industrial acc.
  I can shoot my bows pritty good ive been on per. disibility ever since.
   But in your case it might not be a big prob.get it checked outfrom a good doctor{ tell him to give you an MRI this will show up whats wrong.
  Good Luck

[StanM]

Thanks for all the replies.  I should've mentioned what my family doc said and recommended first.  His initial diagnosis was rotator cuff tendonitis.  That was what spurred the PT.  When it didn't help the diagnosis changed to probable rotator cuff tear.

I was x-rayed on the first visit, not x-rayed after the PT.

I have not seen an ortho. doc.  I believe I will.

Thanks again.

[Rob DiStefano]

in your best interests, get more than one professional opinion, and if at all possible visit a naturopathic doc.

[Bowmag]

MRIs don't always tell them what's wrong. I obviously had something not right but it didn't show up on the MRI. Doc had to go exploring to find the problem.

[glenbo]

A few years back I had a torn rotator cuff and an impengement on my right shoulder . I thought I would never shoot a longbow again but after about six months I started with An old 25# recurve.I was so thrilled to be shooting again.In a years time I was able to shoot my 55 lb longbow with slight discomfort,but the pain subsided shortlt thereafter.If I didnt have repair I would surely be worse now.If you get it done be patient,and you will be alright.Best wishes, Glen

[B-DOG]

i am going through the same thing right now. i have been diagnoised with tendonitus in my rotator cuff. i had mri's and x-ray. i got a shot of cortizone that helped it for about 6 months. i was suppose to do PT but got wasn't able to continue because of work and now i am paying for it. i started back with PT and it seem to be getting better. 45# bows and lots of stretching after doc's advise

        benji

[cahaba]

Originally posted by Bowmag:
MRIs don't always tell them what's wrong. I obviously had something not right but it didn't show up on the MRI. Doc had to go exploring to find the problem.

Same thing happened with me. The MRI didn't show anything. The ortho did laproscopic surgery(I think that was what it was called) and went in my shoulder in 6 places. Shoulder feels great going on 3 yrs.