[Notthemommy]

When I need info I come searching here or archerytalk, find great advice and move on. I dont talk much.. thought I would pass on some info for the old-timers to keep in the back of their minds..

My shoulder was giving me trouble lifting boxes, moving heavy items and using my Bow. My non-VA Doctor told me I needed to stop shooting my Bow, she (not understanding Bows) said I needed to stop shooting altogether. When I explained I could decrease the pull weight, she agreed she didnt know about bows, but without a specialist to evaluate what I could handle, I needed to stop all together.

The INS co denied her recommendation to see a specialist on their dime... If I wanted to talk to an Artho/sports-specialist I had to pay 100%. No specialist was needed in their opinion.

I decreased my pull to 50lbs. Everything was fine for 8 months until I started prepping for this season... I hurt my shoulder. She then recommended I see now see a specialist to treat my hurt shoulder. I got a letter from my INS. co that they would NOT pay any bills for my shoulder because I failed to follow Doctors advise and go see a specialist.

I get it ... I "F-ed" up. I should have paid for a consultation.

I was also told this is now a permanent record for all INS Co to see on my medical charts... they all share stuff and there is no way to NOT allow them to share info. No INS Co is going to pay for any shoulder work...

I'm not going to the VA to treat this unless it gets to the point where I cant do easy shit like drive a car. Right now I just cant use my Bow or pull / push heavy stuff.

 

[Cypress]

You're behind a rock and a hard place. I am not sure what's wrong with your shoulder. But if you were able to draw 50 pounds, i'm sure you're able to do some shoulder strengthening movements.

I suffer from shoulder injuries to both shoulders. I had 1 MRI'd years back and my ball is too big for the socket. I began to do very lite weight exercises 2.5 pounds actually. I would just pump up the muscle doing spinning movements of like 100 reps. Eventually the shoulders stopped aching. I then began doing some weights for the shoulder, lite weight, high reps, circulating blood in and around the shoulder.

Eventually the rotator cuff got stronger around the area of my pain. I then began to draw my bow again, 70 pounds. It drew like butter, but I didn't have the endurance in the shoulder to shoot very many shots,25 shots, i'd wear out.

I began doing more weights with more reps and heavier movements. I focused on strength with endurance, So heavier weight but with many reps,,,20 was my key in reps. I did ZERO movements with my shoulders out wide. Everything was close quarters,never exerting pressure on that socket,for I knew it's not built right. So my #1 movement became the Arnold Dumbell Presses. They built strength,and placed no pressure on the wide side of my shoulders. Drawing a bow became easy. Today i'm almost 63 years old and i'm hunting with a new PSE EVL 32 @ 80 pounds. Do my shouders ache ? Sure, but most of the ache, I know what will cause it. I stay away from those. The only thing I know that makes my shoulders ache that I cannot control is sleeping on my shoulder side. Gotta learn better how to sleep on my back.

Supplements helped me extremely like Amino Acids and Collagen protein for the joints.

 

[Rdrtech87]

Thanks, I have shoulder issues and have already had shoulder surgery on one by the time I was 28. I was able to still pull back a 70# bow until recently. Now my right shoulder is looking like it may be next in line for surgery.