Hi all,

I seem to be having a bit of a problem. About 8 months ago I snapped the tendon on my left ring finger and it took the bone with it. Basically called a mallet finger.

It's sort of healed okay and I can bend it most of the way around, but it's still significantly less flexible than the other ones and a lot weaker.

This is my draw hand, and although I can pull (sort of) fine, after about ten minutes it causes tremendous pain through the top joint. I can still shoot for a few hours after that but it's rather unpleasant and the pain lingers for a day or two afterwards.

So... any suggestions on how to at least slow the onset down? I've started experimenting with three fingers under and that seems to help a little bit. I've also moved my finger position on string a little further back, to the meaty part after the joint closest to my fingertip and that's  a bit better, but seems to affect my release. I just ordered a three under tab I'll try instead of a glove, but short of wrapping it with duct tape I'm not sure if there is even anything else I can do?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Use a wrist release.  It's not a "traditional" answer but it is still better than not shooting due to pain.

I don't know if this would help your situation or hurt it,but I use a hand spring muscle builder to warm up and strengthen my fingers.

Could you try a two finger draw instead of three? Or like Flanders said, throw on a D loop and use a wrist release or skip the d loop and use a release rope.

Try a two finger draw.  Lots of people who have tried it really like it.

I would say two fingers also and two under to start.  I played with that once on a bow that was giving me fits and I was able to really shot it well that way.

Tape the injured digit to the other digit and with equal pulling of both digits it should take some of the stress off of it, and may increase your accuracy.

What does the doctor say?

I chainsawed halfway through the second knuckles of the first two fingers of my left hand and after a year of squeezing balled-up socks (with beads of sweat on my forehead) I was able to move up to tennis balls and eventually got back 100%.  But it was slow and painful going.  It was six months before I could curl the fingers enough to touch the palm of the hand with the fingertips.

On 11/04/12 I stuck the ring finger of my right hand into the path of my tractor's fan and broke the finger, split the distal phalange into pieces and tore the nail and last 1/2" of the finger off.  Back on now (and healing) but I'm not drawing a hunting bow with that hand for a while.

I picked up a 41# LH bow and have been practicing shooting lefty.  At this rate about the time I figure it out my right hand will be healed up.  

It has been a good exercise in relearning how to shoot a bow.  Focus is screwed up, form is horrible, consistancy is not.  Today I put a 2" square cube of foam on my target bale and at 15 yards put an arrow to either side of it just shy of touching it and the third skewered it, so there are occasional rays of hope.  The next three arrows were a 18" group.    

I have heard of a leather release -- essentially a leather strap that goes around your wrist and then around the string. You then trap it with your thumb and first finger and draw. To release you simply let go of the leather strap and the arrow is away.

The opening video on the blackswan archery website shows someone shooting with one.

It may be something that could help you shoot with comfort -- and leather is non-mechanical so about as trad as you can get with a release aid.

Please post your solution once you have found something that works -- and good luck.

Switch hands!

Not as hard as you think.

Mike

I think Mudd had pics on a leather release he made, it looked like it would work great for you.

I dropped a power take off shaft on my right hand ring finger and split it length wise and broke the bone .I shot 3 under since the 60s so I just went 2 under . After it healed I had nerve damage and couldnt shoot 3 under so  I stuck with 2 under,worked good for about 7 years and then I started to get arthritis in my middle finger joint ( I shoot alot) but at the same time I noticed my nerves seemed to be coming back in my 3rd finger and went back to 3 under. Have no problems now except Im still a poor shot...Tim

You may consider going to a thumb ring. I knew a fellow who shot a left handed bow right handed with a thumb ring.

Ha this is to funny that this came up as i sit hear typing with one finger, I cut my middle finger just below the nail 98% off yesterday with a wood splitter, guess this means i wont be going to AZ in Jan. javie hunting.

i just hope this is 100% by next Oct. i'm going to see a hand doc. tomorrow.


doug77

Two fingers might be stretching it since I shoot at about 60 at the moment but I'll definitely try the taping trick.

As far as releases go that would be a last resort. I mean I can still shoot, it just hurts and at the end of the day this sort of pain is only mental.

As for switching hands I just did that because of left eye dominance!

Thanks for the tips, got some stuff to try out. Also more thanks to stumpkiller, for reminding me there is always someone worse off than you.

hey why dont ya just cut it off ya wont miss it ya got more of them     just kidding if you make a leather stall for it and tape it up good that should ease the pain some Bro give it a go.

I was a 3-under shooter till about a year ago when I smashed my ring finger on my draw hand. Went to 2-under till it healed(bout 3 months)and then tried to go back to 3-under and it all felt wrong so Ive been 2-under ever since. I shoot 60# with a black widow 3-under tab no problem.