Question about shoulder soreness

[longbow fanatic 1]

I've noticed that following shooting sessions, I have soreness  in the area of the lower, posterior deltoid near the scapula. It seems that as I draw the bow, I use my shoulder (posterior deltoid) to begin the draw cycle before my rhomboid muscles take over. Sometimes the shoulder ache is felt at the above listed location. Other times, the pain is also felt deeper inside the deltoid muscle. Also, sometimes as I let down the bow string, without firing a shot, I can feel a bit of a twinge in my shoulders.

Is this common?

[indianalongbowshooter]

I believe it is if you shoot alot, I get the same problem..I feel the pain deep in the muscle sometimes it hurts bad enough I cant sleep..I quit shooting traditional for about 5 yrs due to the pain getting severe and not wanting to go away..just started back this year and noticed as long as I dont shoot anything heavier then 52# the pain is not bad.. but when I move up to 57# and shoot for even a 1/2 hr. my shoulder aches for 2 days.. so sticking with 47-52# bows..

[longbow fanatic 1]

Thanks, Indiana. I've been shooting about 70 arrows each outing and have really noticed the soreness.

[Panzer]

Seventy arrows seems like a lot of arrows to shoot at any weight. I lift weights 5 days a week and I wouldn't do 70 reps of the same exercise or "push pull movement" each time I worked out. I am sure some people can do that but I can't anymore. That's a lot of stress on your muscles.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Good point, Mike! The reason I'm shooting so many arrows is that I'm working on blank bale to improve my shot sequence. Additionally, I'm working on back tension which requires a longer hold at full draw for me. The protocol required 21 days of 70 arrows per session. Although I cannot do it every day, it really is helping my form. Once I get through the 21 days, I plan to drop back to 40 arrows per session.

[Rob DiStefano]

i've had "frozen shoulder syndrome" forever.  too much of anything will tick it off and the main fix is rest.  constant weekly rehab with stretch bands and certain shoulder exercises are almost mandatory, and will absolutely help to strengthen all of the shoulder and support muscles.  if i overdue it with both archery and large bore rifles, what helps me besides rest is rubbing in some traumeel gel and taking a natural anti-inflammatory such as zyflamend.  i average shooting about 40 to 50 arrows per session every other day, outdoors (weather permitting) and typically at 13 to 22 yards (though i do stretch it out to 35 yards at times).  i shoot ONE arrow only, so the walk to pick it up after every shot gives the shoulder some rest.  besides, it only takes one arrow to make a good kill and it forces me to make that one arrow count.    

[longbow fanatic 1]

Great tips and advice, Rob. Thanks!

[59Alaskan]

What Rob said helps on SOOOOO many fronts...not just the soreness, but also working through each shot as it counts and re-thinking what you did right / wrong as you walk up to the target.  GREAT way to practice.  I often only take one arrow out and I shoot from a different location and shooting position each time...stand, kneel, crouch, sit....sometimes I turn around and shoot as fast as I can...stuff like that.

Good luck.  the comment about shooting being just like weight lifting and reps is also correct.

[Panzer]

I also shoot one or two arrows, then retrieve.

[Sam McMichael]

I'm having some shoulders issues, also. Go see the doctor. You may need therapy in addition to the doctor's treatment. Therapy is helping me, and the therapist is using archery, with a light bow, as part of my treatment. Good luck.

[Coach Jones]

I have been taking an anti inflammatory for the last 3 years that has helped tremendously.   I quit shooting for about year cause I simply could not handle the pain.   Finally went to the doctor.  What I have done is simply limit how much I shoot.  About 12 arrows a day at most.   If I try to shoot more than that, I am done for a week.  The smartest thing other than limiting how much I shoot was to go down in poundage.  My latest bow is a 46 @ 28 Chinook that I draw to 26 inches.  

I am even back to lifting weights again now.  I also ice my shoulder every evening which really help prevent soreness.

[Scott Barr]

I have found what others have already commented on. In addition, after months of soreness not going away, I went to an acupuncturist. Best decision I ever made. Really helps.  Also regularly began stretching exercises for shoulder, and strengthening left arrm back muscles to keep balanced.  Good luck. You have a lot of company.

[McDave]

I sort of disagree with setting an absolute limit on the number of arrows one should shoot per day.  Clearly, your body should be your guide, and therefore it's necessary to clear up any existing inflammation before you can set any kind of meaningful limits on future shooting.  To just continue shooting while it hurts, hoping that the problem might go away on it's own is unrealistic.  More likely the problem will become chronic and harder to resolve.  Unpleasant though it may be to deviate from your shooting plan, it wouldn't be as bad as having to give up shooting entirely for an extended period of time.

However, once the immediate issue is resolved, I wouldn't set an arbitrary limit on the number of arrows you should shoot in a day.  I've shot more than 50 arrows a day for years, not every single day, but most days.  There are significant differences between archery and weight lifting.  Take the comment about shooting one arrow, and then retrieving it before shooting another one, which I think is a great idea.  How many people would go into a gym and do one rep and then walk around the gym before doing the next rep?  Even if you shoot more than one arrow before you go get them, you take (or at least should take) at least 45 seconds between shots without any stress on your body between shots.  Do you do that in a gym?

The action of rowing in a gym has some similar demands to archery, although more of the body is involved in rowing than archery.  Would you ever consider limiting yourself to just 70 rows?  You may never want to shoot a lightweight enough bow that you could shoot 1,000 shots in a session, but you would probably consider rowing 1,000 strokes in a session.  It's all a matter of weight and stress.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Thanks all! To clarify my blank bale routine... Ideally the archer should shoot 70 arrows each session. I was instructed that i can deviate from that protocol, however, I should increase the number of days beyond 21 days to cement the reps necessary to improve my form. That said, I was probably being too impatient with the process. I do shoot one arrow and retrieve it and I was instructed to wait 45 seconds between shots, however, I may need to scale back the number of arrows I shoot.

[Rob DiStefano]

whatever yer body sez takes precedence over any doctor's diagnosis and prescription.  period.  i learnt that the hard way more than once.  

most western doctors these dayze are pill pushers and surgery nuts.  many will treat shoulder injuries with nasty inflammatories that will bugger your stomach and liver - been there, suffered through that big time.  

the other useless quacks will wanna cut yer shoulder up - for the very very most part, that's the wrong tack to take and the clear answer is almost always PROPER rehab via a specialist, and correct rehab exercises.  the larger percentage of shoulder injuries are of the "frozen" type and rehab/exercises are exactly what's needed.

as to the number of arrows to shoot per session - LISTEN AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YER SHOULDER IS TELLING YOU.  then enact upon what it sez.  trust me on this.  avoid "doctors" at all costs, save both money and yer body.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Thanks for all your wisdom, Rob!!!!

[Tajue17]

in April I fell on a creek bank and broke my elbow which stopped all my fishing, ruined turkey season and just made my shoulder that was sore since last September even more sore, I recently dropped down 10# in bow weight so I wouldn't cringe in pain anymore when drawing..

after surgery and therapy for the elbow the end of June I had to re visit the doctor one last time to get my paper signed to return to work and I told him my shoulder was still sore.

next thing I know is he is shooting cortisone into my shoulder and says it will take max effect in about a week,,, two weeks later I could draw a 70# bow like it was nothing!! no pain and no more shaking at full draw and its like I went back 10yrs and I'm hitting targets like I did when I shot for score every weekend..

sticking with the 44lb recurve because I feel confident and don't want to push it but for now I'm 100% pain free.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Glad to hear you're back in the saddle, Tajue17!

[buckeye_hunter]

If you want to work on form, make a practice bow from PVC that only pulls maybe 5 to 10 pounds and you can perfect your form without injuring yourself.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by buckeye_hunter:
If you want to work on form, make a practice bow from PVC that only pulls maybe 5 to 10 pounds and you can perfect your form without injuring yourself.

not if yer physically able to pull a hefty string.  there are dynamic differences between 10# and 50# that must be taken into consideration and you want to impart the proper muscle conditioning and memory when training and/or practicing.  the uber light draw weight bow is good for form process during rehab, and good to use in stepping back up to yer usual hunting bow holding weight.  but it's also essential in keeping sharp with the form process during rehab.