Shooting after a Finger Joint Fusion?

[Big Ed]

Curious to see if anyone has been shooting there bow after having a joint fusion in there shooting hand? I had yet another surgery last week and had to have the Pip joint ( mid) fused on the index finger of my shooting hand. Wanted to see if anyone else has any experience or knowledge of anyone shooting this way. Thanks for the input,
Ed

[Shawn Leonard]

Ed, Allison dated a guy several years back that had a bad accident on a motorcycle. Lost most of his middle finger from pip joint up, they fused it to his index finger(kind of giving him a real wide index finger at the base to the middle joint than as normal as could be the rest of the way up)He shot recurves pretty well but did not use a hook release, he shot with the tips of his fingers kind of at a 45 degree angle. He said the only thing was he had to stay around 50#s anything heavier he had trouble holding the string as it slipped free. I believe you may have met him at one of the bunny hunts 4 years ago. We kidded him and called him the claw. I know you pretty good my friend and you will figure it out, I have no doubt about your will and your spirit! Shawn

[Stinger]

Yep.  I had the CM joint at the base of my left thumb (bow hand) fused about 15 years ago.  The only big issue I have had with it is getting into a pair of gloves with a tight wrist since I can't pull the thumb close to the palm of my hand. Other than that, there are certain style grips that just are not comfortable for me to shoot - any straight hill-style grip is impossible to grip well.  I had similar deterioration of the CM joint in my right thumb and had an alternative surgery for that where they removed what little cartilage was left and then took a tendon out of my lower arm and wound it into a ball and fastened it in place of the cartilage.  I have full range of motion unlike the left hand but only about 80% strength.  It has no effect on my shooting hand.

[Big Ed]

TTT

[Safari Scott]

A little different but I basically split the bone of my finger longways when a tendon came off, now I've got limited movement and not much strength in it, but I shoot pretty much normal now.

It took quite a long time but now I just use the strength of the other two and have that finger sort of resting on the string without doing much pulling.

Anyway I have a fused toe which doesn't move at all at the joint so I'm guessing that's what you're talking about - Well you could use the fingertips or switch hands or worst case scenaro fashion a sort of release-aid where you still pull the same way and can keep your middle finger straight.

[Sean B]

Think you could draw with your thumb??  Just a thought.  Heal up quick bud!

[Keefer]

Big Ed,
 I know it can be difficult trying to get a smooth release but do any therapy they recommend and if you don't use a tab try that so you don't hook your string like I do at times...I didn't have a pip joint fusion but did have 8 pins put through my mid palm area to fuse my hand back together ...I just recently told Shawn about it but I had my right hand the one I still use cought in a Log splitter in 1985 and Severed it all the way except for a little piece of inside palm area....I almost was 2 hours getting to hospital but was "Blessed" to have it reattached...I lost lots of blood and had another operation where the Dr's took nerves from my left leg and did a nerve grapth to my fingers...
Short story long I shoot with that hand but my release gets hungup a bit due to getting a crease on my finger stalls on my gloves..
I made a few tabs with the "O" ring and that seems to help me with a cleaner release but I am still working on my release...
Your other two fingers will have to take up the slack for now but seriously don't overdue it and do therapy with clay,squeezing a tennis ball,lifting a bucket with water and try to stregthen that finger slowly and I think you will be fine by fall...
             Keefers <><

[CKeth]

If nothing else, there's no shame shooting with a release if that's what lets you keep on flinging arrows.

Having that middle joint fused might cause a few problems that you will have to work to overcome. I cut my pointer finger on my string hand when I was a kid and it will not bend at the first joint from the tip. I have learned to shoot with it that way.

Good luck figuring it out.

Bisch

[Big Ed]

Just trying to get some ideas. Thank you all for the input.

[durp]

i dont have a joint fusion but i did cut the pad off my index finger from the end joint out so now it's has no feeling...then i got my middle finger caught in a horse halter and spent two years getting the pip joint to work a little bit...it doesn't work very well but by putting the string up on the middle pad of my index finger and letting the middle finger float somewhat then more preasure on the third finger i can manage a decent releast most of the time.

hope ya find a way to get er done!!!

[wapiti792]

Ed I have a fusion to my DIP of my 3rd (middle) finger. It was from my treestand fall in 2010. In my opinion both medical and personal, the index finger might be easier to deal with especially if you are a three under guy.  Luckily for me my "fusion" is slightly flexed about 10 degrees which gives me a very nice deep hook. Good luck! Those hand surgeries are frustrating. I had 3 and passed on the fourth. I figured it was straight enough and I had sensation back.

[Big Ed]

Mine is set at about 25-30 degrees. My end joint or DIP joint still functions. I have approximately 6-8 weeks before I can start rehabbing. They also put most of my radial nerve in a conduit to reduce hypersensitivity.