Battling tendonitis before going on Trip of a lifetime

Joined
Dec 6, 2017
Messages
48
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GA
I am 45 years old and an avid bow hunter. I am set to fly out for the Yukon on a Moose Hunt on September 8th for two weeks. In October of last year I was 6-1" 198 lbs. I've always had a relatively skinny frame. I've done everything from walking, hiking with weight in my pack, running 4 days a week, weight lifting, and most recently Yoga to get in shape for my hunt.

I am a lean 6-1" 174 lbs and I'm regularly hiking 3 days a week with 75 lbs on my back and doing Yoga 3 days a week with usually one day of rest.

I am bow hunting and have been practicing at least 25 shots a day up until about three weeks ago. I have a Hoyt Carbon Defiant and am pulling 70 lbs which has never been problematic for me. About three weeks ago I started feeling a lot of discomfort in my right shoulder. It particularly was sharp when I am pulling back a bow. I've been checked out, nothing is torn so that's good. I was told I had tendonitis and to go to Physical Therapy. I already was going to an acupuncturist.

Each week I go to a Physical Therapist who does laser treatment on my arm. This is now the third week of that. I also go to the acupuncturist each week who sticks my arm and hooks it up to electrodes. Both have helped, but every time I shoot 20 arrows, the discomfort came right back. So one week ago both the PT and the Acupuncturist tell me to not shoot for two whole weeks. They said I had to take a break or it would not heal and continue to be uncomfortable.

I'm comfortable with my shooting, but I'm fearful of not staying sharp. Prior to seeing the PT I took a week off twice with the problem coming right back. I haven't shot in a week and am not supposed to until Monday of next week. I can tell the tendonitis is lingering because anytime I roll on my side sleeping, I can feel it in my shoulder.

I'm going to wait until next week which will give me 19 days before I have to leave on my trip to sharpen my shooting skills. Currently I feel comfortable shooting out to 60 yards, but because I had to make a late adjustment to my bow, I want to make sure my form is perfect before getting on the plane.

If the tendonitis comes back, I'm thinking about just going to get a cortisone shot and be done with it. I've continued with the YOGA and Hiking exercises as they don't seem to both my tendonitis. Anyone got any advice here?
 

Brendan

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Joined
Aug 27, 2013
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3,871
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Massachusetts
Personally with a trip coming up, I might consider the Cortisone injection along with being nice to it.

I'd also be seeing a sports / soft tissue chiro that specializes in things like ART and Graston. I've had mine work wonders on stuff like this.
 

FlyGuy

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Joined
Aug 13, 2016
Messages
2,087
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The Woodlands, TX
YES! Go get the shot TODAY! It can still take a week or even 2 weeks for the shot to be fully effective. I fought mine for 6 months after doing something stupid at the gym. It wasn't serious, but it wasnt getting better either and was restricting my workouts/shooting/sleeping. Finally made an appt. X-Ray showed nothing obvious, so have me the shot. Hurts like Hell. Heck for 3-4 days it might have even been worse. Took almost 2 weeks to settle but now feels like new. Wish I wouldn't have put it off so long.

Trip of a lifetime.... Don't be stubborn. Get that shot. It is the best solution to get through something when you just can't take the time off to rest until after the event.

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Crusader

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Joined
Sep 16, 2016
Messages
489
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St. Louis
I would HIGHLY recommend you get the injection. I've had tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, shoulder problems, knee problems, thumb arthritis, and plantar fasciitis (both feet) over the years and have had steroid injections in all of those joints. Some of the injections were very painful (elbow and foot, shoulder wasn't bad at all) and took a few days to get over the injection pain. Almost all of the joints were pain free within a week or so; the injections worked great and led to pain-free condition (some of the joint pain came back months later and I had to do it again or do something else, but that's another story). You can't beat the. Like FLYGUY said, get it immediately, so it can calm down soon. You won't regret it. My golfer's elbow seems in remission now but I'm getting another injection in it early September in advance of my Colorado first rifle season hunt, just so I don't have any issues when I'm packing.
 

CBB1

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 20, 2016
Messages
272
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NC
Ask about meloxicam. It’s a prescription NSAID. It knocked my shoulder tendinitis out in about 3 days.


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LaHunter

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Mar 9, 2013
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N.E. LA
prescription anti inflammatory medications really work well. Several years ago, I used to hit the weights pretty hard and heavy, and had shoulder pain pretty bad from time to time. Pain was to the point of keeping me up at night. OTC meds didn't do much at all to help. Prescription anti inflammatory meds made the pain go away, even after I stopped taking them the pain stayed away.
 
Joined
Sep 12, 2015
Messages
437
Location
New Mexico
Shots scare me. How is tendonitis diagnosed? Is tendonitis just a catch-all category for mysterious pains that can't otherwise be explained? Are there any negative side effects of a cortisone shot?

My right shoulder (string hand) suddenly started hurting me in about November-December of last year. Just when I turned 40. The pain was most intense at the front of my shoulder. Put on a comfortable t-shirt and where the sleeve meets the body of the tee, that's where it hurt, about 1.5 inches forward of the top of my shoulder. I could hear things clicking and popping in there as I drew. Not a good sound. However, I never had any problems before and was convinced it wasn't anything catastrophic. I'd practically never been to a gym in my life, so the likelihood that certain muscles were working for my archery addiction and not being balanced by other muscles was high.

My shoulder has steadily improved by taking time off shooting, getting into the gym, and seeing a deep tissue massage therapist. Massage hurts like hell, but it gets things back to moving properly when accompanied by time in the gym. I basically stopped shooting for April - June but am back at it like normal now. No clicking or popping.
My left shoulder is giving me some problems now. It's similar symptoms, and similar response to treatment. Stabilizing muscles deep in the shoulder. I lose range of motion and things start clicking and popping in there when I do an overhead triceps extension. I then have to get them loosened back up. I'm hoping that as time goes on, I'll have to go less and less often. I've not experienced anything more painful as deep tissue massage, but then, haven't had any major injuries in my life. Nonetheless, it works and seems really low-risk.

You're on a tighter time schedule, so this treatment regimen might not do you any good for this fall, but I'd bet you have some muscles in your back and shoulders that aren't firing anymore and it's time to get in there and wake them up.

I'm not sure what I have - never did an x-ray or went to a doc, but it's going away.
Good luck getting this figured out, and good luck on your hunt!
 

tracker12

WKR
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Messages
994
I am 66 and have battled bad shoulders since I was in my late 20's due to sports injuries. I have had four surgeries but still continue to shoot. First off stop the shooting. Keep up with the PT and consider taking Turmeric a natural anti inflammatory. I would also evaluate your bow form. You should be drawing with your back not your shoulder muscles. Ask me how I know. Also consider dropping your weight. I have killed elk, deer, bear and caribou since dropping to 60# and plan on shooting that weight on next years moose hunt. Good luck.

Injections do work but you have to be careful for a period after they are given as they can weaken the muscles and if you do to much to soon you can injure yourself worse.
 

Karl86

FNG
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
21
I messed up my shoulder almost 14 years ago playing high school football. Then i became a pipefitter, and my shoulder has always had just a nagging, constant pain. Not enough for me to get work done on it, but enough that i was always trying to do different stretch or exercise or going out of my way to not use it.

My wifes aunt started selling CBD oil, and she said i should try it. I cannot believe the change. It is honestly like i never had a shoulder problem at all.

I dont know if its legal where you are, (it is where i am) but i can tell you i have taken 3 drug tests and there is no sign, and no high. Not trying to sell you a 'cure-all' , just saying its out there.

Good luck on the hunt!!

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Jkling12

FNG
Joined
Jan 20, 2018
Messages
90
Location
in
Check into Platelet rich plasma injections. Insurance won't cover it and they can be expensive but I have a torn tendon in my elbow and the cortisone wasn't working anymore. Got a PRP shot and it's been amazing. Zero pain ever since.
 
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