Archery after torn rotator cuff?

[Moose-head]

I tore my rotator cuff several years ago and have not been able to get back in shape for pulling my bow. Are there people who have come back from a similar shoulder issues and returned to archery hunting?

[bnsafe]

i was an or nurse for years. its a tough surgery to fix. long recovery. if you really want it you can bowhunt, but strengthen the are as much as possible and shoot less lb than you want to. good luck

[pointysticks]

i think Dwight Schule of Bowhunting magazine did this.

he switched hands and dropped to a 50 lb bow. he would still hunt me into the dirt. is switching hands an option?

[cnelk]

Are you sure you torn the RC?
I was having shoulder trouble about a year ago and the MRI showed a partial bicep tendon tear and a partial RC tear.
Not enough damage to do surgery - yet...

I went to therapy and am now managing it that way.

I also know if you wait too long to get it repaired,they can't repair it.

I still use the sling/release I made up since I cut my hand 3 months ago.
Check it out. You may be able to do something like it

Good luck

[ironhead22]

I have a partial tear in both shoulders, love that ironwork, there are strength exercises you can do that will help some
As far as switching hands if you can do it your better then me. My 3 year olds writing looks better then mine left handed, I throw a ball like a girls. What I'm saying is I can't do it LOL.

[Lefty]

I just had a tear fixed on the 4th of this month
So far so good,.. bored as heck.
Today was the first day I was "allowed" back to school to work with my students.
My therapist works with lots of archers and told me last week, sometime in May I should be able to start shooting , I should be bored in June too when I get a new hip,.. Hey where is the puking smilie

[Hardway]

I had my shoulder fixed Dec 23 2011, 2 labral tears, 3 bone spurs, and a torn rotator cuff. i was shooting 30 lbs by the end of April in August i was @ 50.
The goal this year is 60 lbs. If you do everything your therapist tells you,and take it slow most can shoot a bow again. All the guys i know that rushed things don't shoot any more.

[ElkNut1]

Hardway, welcome to the Forum! Thanks for stopping by!


I too tore mine in a softball game, it was my left shoulder so was my bow hand & not my drawing arm. It happened in June, was in a sling for one month, couldn't move my arm at all. No operation but went to a sports doc & in two months with his guidance of exercises I was bowhunting elk in Sept. This was 7 years ago. It still bothers me now & then but not a big deal. He talked me out of an operation & I'm glad he did because the medical doc wanted to operate.

ElkNut1

[Freebird134]

i think Dwight Schule of Bowhunting magazine did this.

he switched hands and dropped to a 50 lb bow. he would still hunt me into the dirt. is switching hands an option?

I think Schue actually shot with his mouth, didn't he? I remember an article where someone was shooting with the teeth on a bowhunt.

[Freebird134]

Yep, I remembered right: http://www.bowhunter.com/editorial_bn_h ... rdway.html

[bnsafe]

so moose what have you decided

[Sean D.]

I was hunting 6 weeks after surgery and was lucky enough to kill the bull pictured at the right, but i highly recommend you not be as stupid as I was! I rushed everything way to fast and my shoulder is still screwed up. You can actually hear it pop right before I reach full draw. It needs repaired again but im not sure when I can work it in around hunting season to let it properly heal!

[Moose-head]

It is partially torn in a few places and I have gone to a Physical Therapist. I did it about 6 years ago while working my previous job, I am now in a different line of work that is not as physical as my old job. I have some of the thera bands and am doing some excercises with those to get me in shape to hunt. My bowstring has been sitting on my bow for 6+ years and I am afraid that I will have to get a new string before I pull on that so that the string dosen't blow up when I pull on it. I will lower the poundage as well. Can I lower the poundage and pull on the old string without it snapping in under the strain?
I have done OK bowhunting deer in the past, but now live closer to elk and have the bug to go after them. Rifle hunting has a been good for deer hunting, but I think that the archery season sounds like a more exciting time to hunt elk.