Shoulder pain and advice

[D. Key]

I took a fall in Jan. 2021 on soft ground onto the point of the elbow. At contact I felt something pop and had some pain. Fast forward to March 2022...I had my annual physical and told my doctor of the ongoing pain. He took X-Rays and said it wasn’t a torn rotator but rather damaged tendons, gave me a shot of steroids and referred me to a physical therapist for 15 treatments. After 13 treatments my shoulder felt great and I could shoot my 45# recurved with no pain. Now the problem. I was working on my tractor about 10 days ago and while straining to remove a 3/4” nut, I felt a pop again with a severe pain. Afterward I was diagnosed with a torn upper bicep tendon.

After the above description, I just received a 38# longbow and when I shoot, the sharp pain is intense. So after rambling, can anyone tell me if this pain will subside and if so how long to heal?

Thanks for any response.

[GCook]

Is the bicep tendon a full thickness tear or a partial thickness tear?
Partial thickness you may be able to heal in 8 to 12 weeks.  If you're over 45 years old you may want to have your testosterone levels checked.  I had partial thickness tears in my rotator cuff two years straight.  After starting replacement therapy I've had no problems since.  I healed in half the time the second tear because I started TRT early during therapy and recovery.
YMMV

[Bowguy67]

Brother, I’ve got shoulder issues. I rehabbed em that was against their opinion. They said I needed surgery. Both rotator cuffs torn. Better shoulder had arthritis, brucitis, tendinitis, bony tumors, bone spurs, bony cysts, fluid in shoulder, bicep tendon grossly attached. On the opposite side it’s similar but I blew the long head of the bicep off. Never got it repaired, never missed any lifting or shooting. I have no pain at least none that’s not bearable. Usually zero. At one point it was so bad I couldn’t get my own shirt off too good or pick up my than one year old.
Someone may say rest it. Horse poop. Rehab ain’t rest. It’s actually working the injury. Also working support areas to strengthen it. I’ve been super physical my whole life. Lots of injuries and broken bones. You need fresh blood in that injured area imo. Do the work and keep on keeping on. Now regarding the torn bicep. My Dr said a chronic brucitis cure is cutting that tendon. Im mid 50s. At the gym when I don’t work out home where I do free weights I’ll still max out the cable preacher curls with my cep. Only saying this to qualify, You’ll lose nothing even if it breaks free
Which shoulder is hurting cause you shouldn’t be straining a shoulder if your drawing with back

[D. Key]

It isn’t the draw that is hurting but rather when I release. Upon release there is a sharp pain in the shoulder for just a second. The Dr. and PT said the rotator is fine, just shredded tendons, which he was trying to heal with PT.

[Sam McMichael]

I've had some shoulder issues along the way, including surgery. If you follow the doctor's orders and faithfully complete the physical therapy, you will be fine. It may take a while, but be patient.  Good luck.

[The Whittler]

Unless there is a real Dr. on site I would go see/talk to a real one. That's the best advice I can give you.

[GCook]

It isn’t the draw that is hurting but rather when I release. Upon release there is a sharp pain in the shoulder for just a second. The Dr. and PT said the rotator is fine, just shredded tendons, which he was trying to heal with PT.

Yup.  That way for me too.  See a quality Orthopedic surgeon. 
None of us are and none have seen your MRI.

[D. Key]

I’m going to an orthopedic surgeon on Sunday. Had a phone conversation with their office this afternoon and they will evaluate my injury and see if surgery is an option. Thank everyone for your input.

[goobersan]

Best of luck to you Douglas . For what it's worth an x-ray can never see a torn tendon or ligament. Maybe a new doctor is in order. The surgeon should know at your 1st visit if an MRI is needed. Therapy is a good suggestion and approach but usually wont help anything beyond a minor tear. I'm going in for surgery on my left shoulder this month after wasting 5 weeks of PT. Summer ruined for not demanding an MRI.

[GCook]

Capt my pain on release was the labrum torn 3/4 off and rolled into the shoulder socket.  Shoulder would separate every shot.  It was manageable pain and I killed three deer while awaiting surgery that fall.  After surgery it took 5 months to rehab that shoulder.  And that was the least torn up one.  Being able to compartmentalize pain has gotten me through some tough spots over the decades.  But ignoring or just dealing with pain doesn't fix anything. 
Just means I am crazy.

[MnFn]

I had shoulder pain and had a few cortisone shots; that helped.  But it kept coming back.  I went to a physical therapist who worked with me.  Now as long as I keep up with my exercises, I do just fine.

[Bowguy67]

Remember guys Drs are a business. How many people have they screwed up, addicting them to pain meds? Pretty professional sounding. Must know exactly what they’re doing right? It’s called practice. Unless absolutely mandatory don’t listen to them blindly. Masking symptoms better left painful so we didn’t overuse them. After my brain surgery they tried the morphine route. Wouldn’t let them give me that junk. They Said it was for my pain. I was still coming out of anesthesia but remember saying, I stand when I pee, don’t shoot crossbows and can take pain. I’m a man and so are you all.
I’ve had Drs tell me I needed surgery in both shoulders 20 years ago. Was told to quit lifting or I’d wind up w frozen shoulder. Was told I broke the small bones in my hand. I needed Orthepedic surgery or I’d be screwed up.
I still lift pretty heavy, never froze my shoulder,  still shoot, never missed time at that, still work w my hands as an electrician twisting wires and have no to little pain.  Was never cut and have zero issues.
Told my Dr if I quit lifting I’d look like him. Yes it took time but doesn’t healing from surgery take just as long in many cases? Not saying to not listen but weigh it against other options like just letting it heal and it prob will. Just a consideration

[GCook]

No offense Bowguy but just because I run a business doesn't mean I do unnecessary repairs for customer's equipment just to make an extra buck.  I doubt the vast majority of doctors do either.  That said I am  a maintenance man.  I believe in fix before replace.
Doctors are healers as well.  Yes, they are wrong sometimes.  But my orthopedic is a quality doc and a man of good character.  He is not a surgery first guy.  Therapy too dang often.
Many of us heal up from partial tears or fractured bones without surgery.  Some of us have pain tolerance too high.  Where we cause worse damage and keep pushing through and compartmentalizing until it's really broken and recovery is long and maybe not 100%. 
I've had half a dozen surgeries.  I've got five stents.  I told that first cardiologist that first heart attack was a speed bump.  I worked hard, exercised didn't need those darn pills.  Then my LAD was blocked and they weren't sure I'd make it off the table at 43 years old.  Fortunate they didn't have to split my sternum.
Funny how sometimes those docs know what they are talking about.

[Bowguy67]

None taken but do you think anyone keeps their business busy with “extra” services? Or over priced nonsense? Of course they do. And to not realize that is silly. If you’re above board God bless ya. Yea I bet some Drs are too but all?
I’m glad everything is working out for you as well.

[GCook]

Always, always get a second opinion if you can.  Maybe a third.

[Bowwild]

That video is a gold mine of information, best I've seen and best explanations.  The tone so helpful and sincere to boot.

I'm sharing with people who teach millions.

[trad_bowhunter1965]

D sorry your going through this and like everyone said before follow doctors orders. Now for folks that read this post there are some great advice so here my 2 cents I start out by hanging by my arms for 30 seconds when I first started I could only do a few seconds then I do 80 small arm rotations 40 forwards 40 backwards than I do 30 big rotations 15 forward and 15 backwards every time I shoot it works for me. there's some great YouTube videos on hanging from your arms by orthopedic surgeons.

[Rucksack]

I deal with shoulder pain every day, several times per day from an injury that is 20 years old.  It is time to re-visit the doctor.  Archery helps provided I use proper technique and don't over-bow.  New member-Chekmate recurve, Bob Lee Hunter, Shakespear Wonderbow.

[blacktailbob]

Doug
  A lot of good info above, especially the warm up and stretching exercises. I've had both knees replaced ( one great, one not so. Dif. docs ) bursitis, badneck, bad lower back etc. etc. but I keep going. Not as fast and not as far anymore at 68. VA doc wanted right away to scrap a bone spur off in shoulder many years back. Negative, went to physical therapy and the exercises increased the blood flow and ultimately dissolved it and it's fine as long as I remember I'm not in my 20s anymore and don't over exert it or other parts of my body.
  I noticed that you're 73 and most of us on here are over 50. Slow deliberate moves are important and hard yanking moves can cause injuries. About your biceps.
About 20+ years ago while sight fishing for cobia I was on the bow of the boat holding onto a bow line for stability and we came off a wave and yanked my right arm and I felt a twinge of pain in my right bicep at the top of the long head. Next day I had small bruise there but not much pain. As it healed I noticed a slight depression in that area. But the muscle was still strong and didn't bother me. About a year later while snatching a large bag of dog food off the ground and into my truck my left arm did exactly the same thing. Ouch!  Again I behaved myself and let it heal. How long? A few weeks maybe and I work out with weights occasionally with no issues. Lighter weights and again slow and deliberate reps. Yanking on that wrench likely was too stressful for the bicep.
  Give it time and take it easy and keep blood flow going to that area. If you continue to have issues go back to the doctor. Hope it heals well.

 

[D. Key]

Well, my MRI showed a tear in two of the rotator tendons plus my upper bicep tendon is completely torn. That said I went to a very reputable orthopedic surgeon and he has scheduled me for surgery on August 15. The surgeon said my bicep tendon will need to remain with no reasonable effort to reattach. I can live with that and hopefully with the surgery and post op physical therapy, I can gain my mobility and completely heal. Looks like most of my deer season will be observation only. I might salvage the last couple of weeks in December but not sure if I will be completely healed by then. Doc. days 4 months for a complete cycle.

Thank all of you for the encouragement and advice. At my age I sure didn’t want to miss this season but to wait could further injure my rotator.

God speed to all.