post op shoulder surgery

[nashoba]

I was wondering if any of the other Trad Gang members have had surgery on their bow arm shoulder and what their experience was, when were you able to resume shooting? I had the second surgery on my bow arm shoulder on 12/16/13 I just started shooting my wife's 37lbs long bow I'm only getting off about 10 shots before I'm fatigued and am done for the day. How long was it before you got back to regular hunting weight bows and longer shooting sessions.

[macbow]

It has been years ago. About the same time in as you on starting to shoot a light bow. About 6 weeks after surgery I was shooting 30 pounds. I would shoot several sessions through the day but only about 10 shots.
With the exercises given to me in post op therapy I think it as 3 months to work up to 55 pounds.

Unfortunately now my string shoulder has me sidelined. Have been doing light weight moving excercises and waiting on the VA to see what is next.

[snapper1d]

You guys are lucky.My brother is a doctor and he had rotor cuff surgery over a year ago and still has not gotten back to normal yet.

[nashoba]

Good luck with the other shoulder Ron. My original surgery was impingement surgery and removal of bone spurs in 02/05 , the surgeon who did it kept telling me for the last couple of years that there was nothing else wrong with my shoulder and the pain that I was having was normal referral pain. I got a second opinion last fall( had to sit out bow season) and the new surgeon took one look at my MRI and said you have a torn bicep tendon. I am now about 90% pain free as compared to before I was in pain 24 hours a day. I'm just hoping that there was not to much damage done to prevent me from getting back to where I was before.

[tom cunningham]

Alex, hang in there bro.  My surgery was two years ago in march. My main issue was also a very painful bone spur along with many 30% tears from 33 yrs as a meatcutter. If you're a little older it will take a little longer than it used to. While I was out of the saddle I took the time to try to become more of a student of the game, books, dvd's and instruction. I kinda started over but feel I am much better off for it.....thanks to that damn surgery....good luck,  Tom.

[Missouri Bowman]

Scheduled my surgery for April also bone spurs. Can't take it any more. Four years of pain.

[Keb]

Had torn labrum, severe slap tear, 6 anchors. 3 months to the date after surgey I was shooting my 40lb recurve, 6 months I was back to normal.

Been just over a year, my shoulder is good, but don't feel the same as before the injury.

I've tried all kinds of flexibility rehab, but still a bit stiff, feels better than when it was hurt for dang sure.

[Easykeeper]

I suppose it depends on the surgery.  I had AC joint repair in February a few years ago and was shooting by late spring/early summer.

[Wallydog]

Nashoba, I have had both shoulders repaired for torn rotator cuffs along with one side had a torn bicep tendon. I dont know your age but I can tell you what my surgeon told me. Do not re-injure this before it heals. If you tear it loose he has less to work with the second go round. It also hurts so Id be careful not to hurt it again by hurrying your recovery time. It was 1 yr before I recovered enough to be sure I didnt hurt it again. They both work like champs now and I have no weakness and full range of motion for archery. Good Luck!
Wally

[YORNOC]

My rotator had me out for about 4 months before the doc okayed light bow work. There were other muscle actions to strengthen first. But instead of a cane for stretching, I used a bow.
Psychologically it kept "in there".
When I got the okay, I shot a super light 1962 Kodiak Special which I have since passed on to another Tradganger needing a "healing" bow.
6 months I was shooting 45#, at 8 months 55# and after a year I could shoot whatever poundage I could work up to.
All depends on your injury. Every one is different.
But we have an advantage that many don't!
We NEED to shoot the bow. It definitely made me work harder to achieve a solid heal.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Fortunately i'd dodged that bullet so far, but I did tear muscles up pretty bad a few years back playing with a heavy weight bow, and it took 9 months to get back to where i could comfortably draw 57#'s again....

I've built a lot of "PT Limbs" in the mid 30's for guys that had surgery though.....Let me know if i can help...

 Just take your time bro. It will come.  Kirk

[nashoba]

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys. I just turned 50 and know what you mean about recovery time being longer as you age. I'm a union carpenter by trade which means a lot of wear and tear on  my body, at work it is a lot of concrete form work which is getting harder to do the older I get. I've got five more years to go before I'm eligible to retire. I just hope that I don't have anymore injuries that would prevent me from bowhunting in the future.

[mahantango]

At least you have retirement to look forward to - I'm 53 and will be driving nails till they shovel dirt on me. Hope my shoulders hold up.

[nashoba]

I won't be able to completely retire, I'll still have to work, going to night classes for welding. I'm just looking for a new career that is a little more friendly on the body, I'll be working well into my seventies I have kids ranging in age from 2- 11 years old boy I wonder how that happened LOL.

[Jerry Gille]

I had my second surgery on my bow arm side on January 13 of this year.  I built a 30 and a 40 pound bow prior to surgery to use as rehab bows.  I'm a little more than a month post op and wouldn't even consider pulling either bow.  Shooting bows way too soon post op is probably why this is my second surgery in 1 1/2 years - go back and read that one again.  

Wait, wait, and wait is my advice.  I'm hoping to begin shooting the 30 pounder 3 months post op.  I could shoot it now, but it would be painful and there's absolutely no need.

Good luck.  I've battled shoulder pain for 14 years and have had 4 surgeries - two per side.  In my opinion, the bow arm takes longer to recover than the drawing arm.  The pushing out and the shock after the shot are harder for me post op than the pulling with the drawing side.

[nashoba]

Jerry the shock part after the shot is what has bothered me for the last three years, that's what I'm kind of testing the waters with when shooting a light weight bow. So far I haven't had the pain that I did pre surgery, the Physical therapist told me to do anything I want but always within reason, must be pain free. The funny part of this whole thing has been I could bowfish  all day with out pain as opposed to deer hunting or 3d shooting. I believe the fishing didn't hurt because I was shooting in more of a downward position.

[Jerry Gille]

That's exactly my experience too.  Shooting at a downward angle is much less painful.  I'm a squirrel bowhunting fanatic and hunt them hard as soon as the season comes in August in Illinois.  Anyway, a year and a half ago I had the first surgery on my bow arm shoulder on July 5.  The morning of August 1 I took 7 shots at squirrels up over my head in trees with my 51 pound longbow.  I'm pretty sure that doomed me right there.  

Good luck for a full recovery.

[Mojostick]

You asked...How long was it before you got back to regular hunting weight bows and longer shooting sessions?

The question may be, define regular hunting weight?

I had RC surgery in 2012. While daily life activity is fine now, drawing anything much over 40lbs is tough. Same with throwing a baseball with my kids, overhand fishing/casts and if I golfed, I imagine a golf swing would be tough.

I started getting soreness and some weakness again this past December and saw the surgeon again, who happens to be the top surgeon in the area and who has assisted on some of the biggest sports names in football and baseball.

He said that even though it was a year out, that I may have to do my daily rehab/stretching/strength training for another year. Long story short, after going back to doing daily rehab at home, my shoulder feels much better.

The bottom line is, I'm likely topped off at the 40lb mark, with 35 feeling much more comfortable. I can shoot 35 all day and it's comfortable. I tried to draw a 44lb 1959 Alaskan yesterday at Black Dog Outfitters and it wasn't happening.

That said, if you get to where at 37lb bow feels comfortable, you can kill deer all day with 37. Unless of course, your state has antiquated minimum weight rules, back from when they thought you couldn't even kill deer with a bow.

My advice would be to first talk to the surgeon and take it slow. Every case is different. I couldn't even string a bow for nearly 6 months. My guess is, by this time next year I'll add a couple pounds, but I'm a 40-ish pounds shooter for the rest of my life and I'm totally at peace with that and have no concerns about killing all the Midwest whitetail and turkey I want.

[Widow's Son]

I'm 50 years old also and the wear and tear on my shoulders really slows me down at times. I've had RC repair on my right (non-bow) shoulder. I was very diligent in doing my post-op rehab and I have had a very good outcome. Now I'm beginning to have issues with my left (bow-arm) shoulder. I'm having pain in my shoulder at release. Bow shock I assume. I don't shoot anything above 50# with 45#s being the norm. I also only shoot smooth drawing and shooting bows. My Black Widow shoots pretty hard even at 46# so I tend to stick with my 1969 Bear Super K. Good luck and if it hurts don't shoot it.

[nashoba]

So far my story sounds just like every one else's with that being said I feel a little more confident that my recovery is progressing normally. Earlier I asked about returning to hunting weight bows I should have clarified that I normally hunt with a 60 lbs bow. I'd like to get back to that weight for hunting only as I also used to shoot 3d with the same weight but it would probably be in my best interest to make myself a liter weight bow for 3d or target practice.