Trad Gang

Well no options but surgey, jan 10th, torn rotator cuff and labral tear, I substained during the best hunt of my life.

I just did not know how lucky we're are to be bow hunters, 5 months to recover is what they say, I wanted to cry, it's made me think about how fortunate we are. If I could not shoot or hunt it would take away a Huge part of my life.

Be safe climbing trees, that's how I over extended my arm and got in this pickle.

This is the time to read some good books. Take care of that arm and get better.

Been there...done that. If I can do it at 67 years, you can do it. Do your PT and you'll be good as new.

Been there. Good luck!

This may be in my future also.  For those that have had it, are you able to shoot close to the same poundage that you could before?  Just curious.

Good Luck on your surgery!  :thumbsup:

Hermon:
As they say, your mileage may vary.
Had both of mine done at age 65...
was shooting 65#, now 50# is max.
45# feels much better!

Just had the same thing done on 12-12-12. It's coming along real well and like others have mentioned, do your home exercises along with the PT and you'll do great and be shooting again in no time.   :thumbsup:  

Be glad it's going to happen over the winter and not summer!  ;)

I had my rotator cuff surgery 20 years ago. Tell your doctor and physical therapist to treat you like an athlete who needs to get back to your sport. Otherwise they might underestimate what you will need to be able to do and just get you to the point of being able to get a can of corn off of the shelf -- and not much more.

Make sure they understand, be patient, do what they tell you.
Good luck.

At least by having the surgery now, you'll be up and running when the fall hunting seasons start.

I couldn't shoot my bow for one year due to elbow problems.

Smokin' Joe is dead-on.  Physical therapy, if you do your exercises are home, will work wonders!

Good Luck, and don't give up!

Ibow x2!

Setting the date for my surgery Jan 17th. Rotator cuff tear and cyst in my right shoulder. Will be locked in a sling for 6 weeks, then 8 weeks of rehab.

I have 3 nice RH bows I want to get back shooting again so I definitely follow all PT and home excercises. At 60 yrs, we need don't recover as quickly but must maintain constant therapy to heal properly.

BEWARE THE EGO.

I've had 4 various shoulder surgeries and don't be fooled in your recovery process into thinking you can do more than directed by your therapist.

It's easy to think you can push it and then you get set back weeks if not worse.

Follow their directions to the letter.

I had mine done in May of 2012.I am just now pulling back a 42lb bow.follow your PT and Docs orders.You will get there.

My surgery was January 16th 2012 for the same condition your in. The first several weeks I thought I made a mistake for having it done. But when it's all behind you it more than worth it!!!

Be good to yourself and do all PT and all homework PT.

My physical therapist told me if I can see God while she worked on me then she was doing her job. Dang!!! It's all for the good though.

I put up with a bad left shoulder for years......I should have gone sooner.

One more thing that stands out in my experience. My surgeon said he had the easy job. The success rate was all up to me.

I need surgery too the doc has to cut
my Rotator to replace the shoulder joint and
then repair the rotator on the way out.

Thanks for the encouragement, I'm 38 and very active never had a injury that set me down that was serious, knock on wood.
I plan to do just what they tell me, if I'm lucky I can catch the end of turkey season in kansas, in may.

What was said by the others !!!


Follow the rules of your Dr. and therapist, and don't push it!

I tried to do it on my own and it only got worse !

Took the advice of a therapist after that and I am 90% back to normal 1 yr later. And they say that's about as good as it gets.  Just give yourself some patients and some understanding.  

You can't look at it as a loss, I could have come out of mine with having to give up hunting.  90% hunting is pretty good when you look at it on this side.

God is Good

Carl

Best of luck to you. What DeerSpotter said. Be serious about your physical therapy. PT is the key, listen to your therapist, work hard and you'll be fine.

Keb i hope all goes well! At your age you will recover allot faster....things just do not heal as fast now that i am 46! And im sure that the rest of you who are even older are saying....heck Lance wait till your 60!

This has been on my mind allot here lately....my shoulder pops and feels funny after shooting for awhile and is sore for a couple of days...makes me wonder about shooting 60# bows for so many years....and not pulling properly with my back      

I am switching to a 45# bow and will have my shoulder checked out....hopefully i havent messed it up to the point of surgery yet

Ive always thought i had to have a 55# bow but read a thread where so many use 45# or even less....

That and hearing so many of you that have had the surgery gives me hope....i was worried that i wont be able to shoot anymore....and that would just kill me

I have been shooting 42lbs, but getting a set of limbs reduced down to 38lb, for the come back.

Just stay positive! That in itself will be a challenge! Good luck...you will do great!   :bigsmyl:

Going on three weeks since my surgery.  Bought a
Slammer a few days before the surgery. Was able to shoot it a hand full of times with much discomfort.  Since I'm home recovering I bought a Griffin and can not do anything but admire. Chopping at the bit to give it a whirl but know better.
Good luck to all, it's going to be a long road back.
Al

Good luck to ya, KEB. Enjoy some downtime, and catch up on some reading or whatever. All will be fine.

Had mine done on Friday 13th of April. After nine months now, I am about 95%. I told the Doc upfront how important archery was. I did exactly what the therapist wanted me to. You will know when you are ready to start with a lighter bow. I bought a used 25# Pearson long bow and have worked my way back to my 50# Osage hunting bows. When I started to shoot again with the lighter bows, I limited myself to 3 to 5 arrows, and worked my way back.
There is a fairly inexpensive machine that will pump cold or warmth to your shoulder. I believe that keeping my shoulder cool did a lot to allow a relatively pain free recovery.
Best of luck for a speedy, but safe recovery.

Thanks, I hope to get out and shed hunt in late feb and march, got enough points to draw a iowa tag and have some public land that I need to scout.

Good luck and work hard at rehab. Prayer sent.

Bill

Been there in '02.  I rehabbed by fly fishing!  Good luck

Three months today for me. Doing very well, doing what I'm told. Sucks at first, but once you begin to heal it is well worth it.
Makes you appreciate a lot!

As others have said, tell your therapist about your expectations and work at your pt. I had shoulder reconstruction in 2010, and have made it back the whole way at work and at home. I work as a telephone lineman in a rural area, so lifting, pulling, pounding are just what happens. I was back to 65# bows for the 2011 season. Don't get discouraged at first, it's going to hurt like heck and seem like slow progress at first, but it will be worth it.

I hope I never have to go through this but fear I will someday.  Have any of you  who ever had surgery ever shot by holding your bow with your foot and pulling back with your good arm while seated. I shoot this way every now and than for fun and think it would be good for the soul just to be able to shoot!   You can get pretty accurate too.

Keb and all of you others with surgery on the horizon, do not fear!  Had mine back in Jan of 2001 and by doing your homework and going through the "inquisition" with the Therapist, I was back to shooting the same 50# bow.  I found that anything shoulder level or below hasn't affected me; but if I try to do prolonged above shoulder height activity I don't have the same abilities.  The joint just doesn't seem to have the same durability.  Ditto on the iced water circulation on the shoulder for the first couple of weeks, helps keep the inflamation down so you can make progress.  Good Luck!

Home in a sling, I'm right handed, and it's my right arm, gonna be fun, relieved its over. Thanx for all the info on positive experiences.

Keb,
 Healing prayers to you. I'm home now recovering from a ruptured bicep surgery. Lord willing, we'll be at it before long. Take care,heal quickly and may  GOD Bless,                Terry

Prayers to you, get well.

I strained a bicep tendon in my shoulder and had to shoot my "lightweight" bow for 6 months. Bummer! Be patient.  Heal FAST and best wishes!

I had my on 2-28-12 was shoting my 55 recurve by the end of July. I started rehab 3 day after my surgery. I was off work for one week. Fmla thought that bing and engineer was clerical. I followed the doctors orders. Good luck Findbows

Well things are moving along, dr says I will be able to shot by the end of the month.

Sounds great.