archers elbow

[troutguy]

ive been shooting a lot latley maybe too much, if there is a such thing. i started to get a sore elbow on my bow arm. i found some great info on this i thought id share. im sure many have already experience this but if you get a sore elbow on your bow arm. theres some good info on bowsite.com. its very common with traditional shooters. hope it helps someone. anybody else have this problem? i shoot at least 50 shots 3 times a week.

[NIGEL01]

I'm going to a hand therapist right now, I think it's a combination of my job and shooting makes it worse.  Switching hands right now.  I going to check out the info you found, thanks.

[Red Tailed Hawk]

Sounds like tendonitis "Tennis elbow". I am just getting over it myself.

[troutguy]

thats exactly what it is.

[marshratTC]

Been experiencing it a lot lately myself. I got a wrap that has a raised spot that you place directly below the elbow, and that has helped from shooting to weightlifting. Cheap fix until it heals.

[Adam X]

Dont shoot anymore until you see a doctor to diagnose if it's lateral epicondylitis(tennis elbow) or medial epicondylitis(golfer's elbow). Try ASTYM therapy by a physical therapist. After one month of ASTYM as well as isometric exercises and stretches, I no longer have any pain or tightness is my bow arm elbow.

[lpcjon2]

As mentioned above dont shoot till you se your doctor, its not worth making it worse.

[ripforce56]

I had tendonitis for 2 years real bad, I too shoot a lot,  all longbows plus I go to the gym 3 days a week! got so bad for a while that I couldn't grip my bow with my left hand, felt like someone sticking long needles in my elbow! here what I did, first I cut back on my shooting for a while, iced and heated my elbow for therapy, started on Glucosumine/Chondrotin combo daily 1000mgs (takes a while for it to build up in your system)you have to be persisitent on taking it! Ibuprofen/naprosen etc (anti-inflamatory) I have not had any issues w it in over a year now! I also used a tennis elbow band while it was healing up when ever I shot, now I do not use one at all! Tendonitis is a Trad bow shooters worst enemy I think, it very goes away on its own!

[Stickbow]

Get after it right away.

I let mine go for months, figured I would just tough it out. Big mistake. 6 months later I made an appointment with an accupuncture (sp?). 2 visits and I am pain free.

[Reaper TN]

I feel your pain. I hurt my elbow trimming a tree back in September, had to layoff shooting altogether for about 3 months.  I wear a Futuro elbow brace with the gel pads that compress the tendon when I shoot or do any heavier work, it helps alot. I hurt my bow holding arm and can shoot my 45# ILF recurve with no problems. I shoot my longbow though and can really feel the shock in my elbow now, so no more longbow for a while.

[ermont]

Anybody feel a crack in your elbow the first couple of shots....then the pain starts? That's me.

[Hummer3T]

I'm going for bioflex laser meditech, new technology, 1 to 6 treatments and it is suppose to be gone.  they shoot a laser to break down scare tissue and to releive the tendons.

I will tell you how it goes in a thread.

[Primitive Spirit]

Glad to see I'm not the only guy here not a youngin'.  Lol! Thanks for the info troutguy!

[katman]

I thought archers/golfers elbow was medial epicondylitis of the draw arm or right elbow of a right handed golfer. Had that twice, bad injury. Is the pain on the bow arm lateral epicondylitis?

Pain is a warning that should not be ignored. Get it checked out by your doc or orthopedist then proper treatment can be prescribed. The longer you wait the longer to heal.

There is a saying in medicine, he who treats himself has a fool for a patient. Good luck.

[Primitive Spirit]

True that katman. My doc actually advised using a broom and pushing up with my right arm, placing my left on top and pushing back against the force of the right arm. A form a calisthenics I'm guessing, but I'm no doc. Not too dissimilar. Whatever the case, it seems to be working for me in conjunction with shooting. I do agree though, it should be checked by a pro.

[Pete W]

I can see it hapening if you shoot bows that have a lot of hand shock. It would be interesting to know what bows you shoot that are creating this problem. Not all longbows jar your bones.
 Pete

[rraming]

Me too, tells me to lay off the shooting, I keep my bow arm fairly straight and figure that is a big part of the issue.

[Sam McMichael]

I developed tendonitis from pulling arrows. The range I used to go to had just put in new targets and I was using very heavy arrows out of a 78# bow. This made pulling arrows very difficult, because I was getting very deep penetration into the targets. Generaly I pull arrows with my right arm, but when soreness developed, I started pulling with my left. So now both elbows are affected. The moral to this story is it is not always the bow itself that causes the problem.

Physical therapy helped, but I still feel discomfort from time to time.

It does help to follow medical advice and to lay off when it hurts. Pain is the body's way of telling us to stop doing something that is causing damage.

[sticbow]

my elbow hurts on the first shot it pops an its fine after that..any one have this happen?it on the outside of my elbow..but like i said it pops then all is well won't do it again all day.

[buckeye_hunter]

I have had issues with tendonitis in my bow arm elbow. It greatly relieves the problem to shoot  with a medium or high recurve grip.

Ergonomics?

I should go see a doctor though because I still have issues when I work out with weights.