I need some advice. I have been shooting a lot lately. I have slowly been increasing my poundage. Recently my elbow on my string arm has developed severe soreness. I played baseball in college and after every work out I iced my shoulder and elbow. Will this help? Can anyone offer suggestions on how to get through this and a the same time not hinder my progress. I know your body will react to the stress in a positive way if you treat it properly. I am fairly young and feel I have not yet reached my full potential. Any advice would be appreciated!

RICE
Rest
Ice
Compression (ace wrap)
Elevation
Ibuprofen will help as well, but make it Ibuprofen or another nsaid drug.
Mike

If you are using archery alone as the means of progressivley building up poundage, you are missing the mark.  Yes, it will build up your ability draw a heavier bow, but you will become more susceptible to injuries as a result.  A bow is far from an ideal strength training device.

Why?

Archery is a bilaterally imblanced activity, that is, unless you shoot an equal # number of times (with the same weight bow) with both your left and right arm as a bowarm (which no one I know of does).  In other words the musculoskeletal demands placed on your bowarm are distinctly different and from those your draw arm.  If you shoot ambidextrously with the same number of shots (with the same weight of bow) with both your left and right arm as the bowarm, there wouldn't be a problem.  However, if you use your bow as your strength training device, and shoot with the same bow arm all the time (as almost all archers do) you will likely create significant bilateral imbalances (scoliosis is a particular concern) that will predispose you to injury.  

If you wish to increase your strength so you can pull heavier bows comfortably, the safest way to get their is to develop your base strength with a well designed weight training program (preferably with an emphasis on dumbell work rather than barbell).  While using the weight training regimen to build your base strength, progress with gradually increasing bow weights that are comfortable to draw & shoot repeatedly that well under your absolute maximum ability.  The weight training should require the effort, the bow drawing & shooting should be effortless.

Mark Reisdorf MSc. (Exercise Science/Anatomical Biomechanics)

In the line of dumbells are the kettle bells. The Russians swear by them , and I have heard great things about their strength building abilities.
Plan to get me some real soon.
Oberon

Slayer1

I've been battling severe tendonitis since August.  Do a search for several threads on Tendonitis.  Lots of guys have provided lots of good advice.  In the end, what has worked for me is a steroid dosage to calm the inflamation, rest (haven't pulled the string on a bow in 3 months now), ice, and physical therapy.  And lots of ice.  I mean serious ice.  Like dunk yer elbow in a bucket of ice water kind of ice.  That has REALLY helped in the past couple of weeks.

I went through the same thing 20+ years ago and the Dr. had to stop shooting for awhile and ice. After about six weeks I was ok and haven't had it since.

I experienced pretty much the same problem around the end of December.  I talked with ER Doc. friend of mine at work and he thought it was probably tendonitis. He wrote me a script for a Medrol Dose Pack (steroid pack).  Worked like a charm.  I had previously tried Motrin for a week without much luck.

God Bless.

I forgot to add that he did suggest I rest it for a couple of weeks and when I did start back shooting to take it slow.

God Bless.

Thanks for the info guys. Its not that bad right now, I have a 3-d tournament tomorrow...If I can get through that then I am heading to the Dr. on Monday. I have been icing it every 2 hours today. and taking the ibuprofen. I just started feeling the soreness at the end of last week. So hopefully its has not progressed to the pain some here have described.

Scott,
Most non traumatic sports injuries from training are just doing too much too fast. When you are young you want development ASAP. Patience is a wonderful thing, just have faith that if you keep working slowly it will be better in the long run.

Did you know that it takes some metabolic pathways 7 years to develop to a maximum?

What is the hard part is training diligently at a reasonable effort consistently for a long enough period. Would it be better to train to run a marathon 26.2 mi, in 4 months or train just 4 miles a day for 26.2 years? The former will likely get you injured quickly. In these times we want results NOW and I think that is why drugs are used to hurry the effort. Improved short term gains at long term risks.

It is hard to give you specific advise without knowing what anatomy is injured.

You can shoot a bow at reasonable poundage just don't think you need to get there so fast...

I was trainer for the Pittsburg Pirates and have been a physical therapist for 34 years.

Paul Mullins