Arthritis,overuse injury, or something more?

Titan_Bow

WKR
Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
1,116
Location
Colorado
This morning had a group of does coming in to my stand. I had decided I’d shoot one, so quietly stand up, grab my bow. They are coming right down the trail and will pass at about 20yards. I hook up my release, and go to draw. NOTHING… I couldn’t get my bow back for anything! It might as well have been 200lbs. It was the oddest thing. I drew my bow the day before, have been shooting this bow all year, and was shooting it just a couple days ago. It was like I suddenly had no strength in my bow arm, shoulder, etc. I tried everything and just could not get drawn.
I have had some bouts of “tennis elbow” in my bow arm recently, and between taking some breaks and using those “voodoo” bands, it hadn’t really been bothering me.
I’ve shot longbows and recurves for about 35 years now, and a compound for about 10 years. I’m 46 years old, and in pretty good shape. I run, eat healthy, and exercise 3-5 days every week. I just don’t know what to make of it. Even now out of the woods, it’s suddenly so much harder for me to draw my bow, about all I can do to get it to full draw..
The bow is a Prime Black 5, 70# @29. Again, I’ve been shooting it all year with no issues. Arthritis runs in my family, and I’ve been dealing with some pain in my elbow, so I don’t know if this is something related to either of those or what? I’m going to make an appointment with the doc tomorrow, but anyone ever experience something similar??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Rob960

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 30, 2021
Messages
204
May have tweaked something. How does it feel at rest. The arm I draw with is fine, but my bow arm I have tendonitis in my shoulder as well as calcium deposits. So I can have a good day of shooting but then I need to take some time to let things settle.
 
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
8,819
Location
Shenandoah Valley
That sounds like a bad dream.


Like where you try to hit some antagonist, but you can hit worth anything. Like can't fight your way out of a paper bag.



I know a guy who had a similar issue. Arthritis in his shoulder apparently, couldn't draw his Martin stick anymore. No pain, just didn't have the strength to pull it. I guess run those joints dry and they get harder to turn under pressure.
 
Joined
Jul 27, 2017
Messages
691
Definitely have had it feel very difficult after sitting in a stand for a while. 70lbs on a prime is a lot of bow. 55-60 would kill anything
 

aussie9

FNG
Joined
Sep 16, 2021
Messages
14
Sounds like Bursitis. Inflammation of the burser in the shoulder joint. Just happens just like you said. I was ok one day and couldn't pull a bow back the next.
Hold your arm straight out and rotate your hand. If it hurts like shit......it's bursitis.
Anti inflammatories, ice packs or cortisone injections. It took me nearly 9 months to get over it.
You will more than likely hàve to drop your bow weight back long term.
These guys helped me.


Good luck mate
Aussie


Sent from my vivo 1904 using Tapatalk
 
OP
Titan_Bow

Titan_Bow

WKR
Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
1,116
Location
Colorado
Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I was able to dial my draw weight back 4 turns and I seem to be able to draw it with not nearly the effort. I’m going to go with this for now once I get the setup dialed back in. I’ll be looking for a sports medicine doc here this week and will likely sell this bow after the season and go for a 50-60 model.
Just really strange how something like this can just pop up out of the blue. Man, getting old sucks….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Aug 19, 2020
Messages
74
I have been going through some shoulder problems myself. Been to the Dr. twice. Arthritis at the AC joint. Hard to sleep or even put deodorant on. Searched on here and read some stuff on the crossover symmetry. Ordered it last week. Have only used it about 5 times but it already seems to be helping. Did a ton of research on shoulder problems, mainly because I want to avoid surgery, and it seems like a lot of problems can be fixed with the right stretching exercises. I would highly recommend looking it up to.
 
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
669
Location
Wisconsin
46 ain't old. I’ve heard of, long periods of sitting still in the cold causing this. Adrenaline usually overcomes the battle. If this is a sudden weakness feeling, maybe you have a cold coming on.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,525
Location
Colorado Springs
A few years ago I went through elk season and ended up shooting a nice bull towards the end of the season. I carried that head and rack and cape out on my shoulders before hauling the meat and my bow out with my hauling pack. A couple weeks later I went out back to do some shooting and I nocked an arrow, connected my release, and raised my bow up to draw it. I'm just standing there with my arm out straight waiting for the draw to start and......nothing. I lowered my arm and then tried again.......nothing. I'm like "what the heck.......draw the friggen bow already!" And then tried again......nothing. I couldn't even get my muscles to trigger to even begin the process of drawing........crazy.

Then the next day I wake up with my right arm numb (bow arm) and had pain in my back, shoulder, tricep, and forearm. Ended up at the neurosurgeon after an MRI. He told me I had another herniated disc in my neck (probably from carrying that elk head out) and I needed a 4-level fusion. He prescribed steroids and some muscle relaxants and things got a little better after a few weeks, but I couldn't even lift a 10 pound dumb bell over my head with my right arm, and was lifting 40's before the season. That new herniated disc had almost completely shut down my motor nerves for my arm.

I'm still not 100%, but I just keep putting off that surgery as long as I can, and as long as I can still mostly function. I eventually worked back up to drawing 75lbs pretty easily, but I still get a bunch of pain and spasms and the strength in my right arm is still less than my left. Lifting normal bench the barbell is always tilted down on my right side until it finally pushes the weight up.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
3,721
Location
Utah
I was sitting all morning in cold weather and had to pee, so I was shivering a bit more. A herd of elk ran 40 yards out past me before I even knew they were there. Then something spooked them and they started to filter back to me. I saw the spike coming right at 50 yards. I was already standing and went to draw back, nothing. I couldn't pull it back to save my life. He saw me. I went to draw again and got it back, using the hated sky draw, but he was tuned in and bolted. That was a PSE Full Throttle at 72lbs. Those were my high poundage light arrow, 300+ FPS days. Since then I have gone to easier cam drawing set ups, 65lbs, heavier arrows and can draw back and shoot even when my body is cold and shivering. Now shooting 485gr arrows at 275 FPS. It's amazing what we can do in the comforts of our home range while wearing t shirt, shorts and tennis shoes. Then on the mountain, clothed in layers, wearing a pack, cold and in an awkward place/position it reveals other issues. Duplicate that process to the best of your ability going forward. It will pay you rewards later on when it's crunch time.
 

cnelk

WKR
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
6,798
Location
Colorado
I had the same thing happen out in Nebraska a few years ago.

A buck came under my stand and I went to draw and there was no way I could get my bow drawn. Tried several times.
It was fairly cold that morning.
He stood there for quite awhile before wandering off.

I got down from my stand and when on the ground, I drew my bow fine.

I finally figured out it was all in my stance.
When your feet are close together, it is much harder to draw your bow than when they are apart.

I did go back to the truck and lower my poundage after that. And went back and shot a different buck
 

GotDraw?

WKR
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
1,296
Location
Maryland
If your bow was held a little bit out in front of you, rather than in-line with your shoulders then that can make it impossible to draw.

JL
 
OP
Titan_Bow

Titan_Bow

WKR
Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
1,116
Location
Colorado
I had X-rays today and there was no sign of joint problems, so I’ve got to go back in the morning for an MRI. Based on how it’s starting to limit my range of motion and the weakness I experienced, doctor said it’s likely the tendons of the rotator cuff.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,263
Location
OC, CA
Like an idiot... I went and ordered a 70# compound bow. The day it arrived? I go to try to give it a yank back and my EFF'd up shoulders from the years of weight training and bmx/mtb/moto crashes laughed at me and said "Really dude? Seriously?" and instantly I realize "Yeah... that's not happenin'."

So I immediately started turning the poundage down and down and down.

54# was the sweet spot for me. You gotta remember you need to be able to draw that bow back slow and Ninja quiet. You need to be able to draw back straight and smooth and without any goofy grunting or lifting the bow up and pulling "down into it".

It kills things just fine at that lesser draw weight. And still get pretty decent groups out to like 50yds.
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,263
Location
OC, CA
I had X-rays today and there was no sign of joint problems, so I’ve got to go back in the morning for an MRI. Based on how it’s starting to limit my range of motion and the weakness I experienced, doctor said it’s likely the tendons of the rotator cuff.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You likely have a labral tear. IF it's 3mm or less they consider it a "partial tear". They go in with a rotary Rasp that's hooded on all but one side so they can deploy it only where they want it at. The idea is after the use the rasp to "rough-up" that area after they've ground away the frayed edges of the tear... your body will then, when it heals. it'll apparently heal over the whole area since they rasped it and it'll return to being smoothed over.

Word of warning, if you end up needing tha Artho procedure like I did. Man oh Man that isht will hurt like a mofo for that first week, even with the col water circulating cuff thing they give you and the opiates.

What happened to me was... the rx for Percs.. I need just 1 more at each dosing during that 1st week, in order to NOT just feel that damn agonizingly deeply painful ache. Well.. judiciously adding that one extra pill at each dosing that fist week robbed me from being able to properly taper at the end of the bottle. Thus subjecting me to withdrawals.

HEAR MY WORDS HERE... you DO NOT..EVER.. EVA EVA EVER.... want to go thru withdrawals if you can help it AT ALL. It is thee most horrific.. coming out of your skin feeling that's indescribeably bad!!!!

So.. if you're like me.. a little on the bigger side.. and you find that the Rx as they wrote it is not enough...make SURE you get on that phone ASAP and alert them to the need to up the Rx so they can give you the quantity needed so that you can properly taper off! I can NOT stress enough how vital it is that you taper that opiate off properly!!!

EDIT: Additional info.. in my instance they also had to do a sub-acromonial decompression because that collar-bone has been broken before and is severely "tented" at the break and thus the distal end of the collar-bone was gouging into my bursa in the shoulder. Military presses always felt like someone was jabbing me with a harpoon for years. In the pics they gave you could see a reddish discoloration to that collar-bone end from pushing down into that bursa. They shaved all that red part off while they were in there. Which has resulted in a noticeable looseness in that shoulders socket to me.

Again.. I've bashed myself six ways from Sunday with all the 2-wheels exploits over the years and am no stranger to pain. Bout the only thing that came close to hurting near as bad as that shoulder... was maybe when I shattered my wrist and they had to go in there and put a plate and 13 screws into my wrist. Or going over the bars at maybe 20mph... at a height up probably about 10 feet into the air... landing on my shoulders first.. and it then continuing on and whipping my lumbar and tailbone into hardpack. I only share that for perspective to let you know when I'm telling you the arthro really freaking hurt, I ain't BS'n.
 
Last edited:

4fletch

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 24, 2021
Messages
110
I had X-rays today and there was no sign of joint problems, so I’ve got to go back in the morning for an MRI. Based on how it’s starting to limit my range of motion and the weakness I experienced, doctor said it’s likely the tendons of the rotator cuff.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I tore mine pitching, messed up the biceps tendon as well somehow. They will heal but at an "advanced" age you often have to give up an activity or two. I went three years unable to pitch or even play pass without pain or loss of power and mobility. I was able to throw pretty hard this year with the boys and it was very cool. Not using it may be your best friend.
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,263
Location
OC, CA
OH.. and make DAMN WELL SURE to LISTEN to your PT guys after the Arthro surgery!!

You know how they say "No Pain, No Gain"? Well... in PT.. you don't want ANY pain.. NONE.. at ALL. All they're trying to do is carefully give you exercises to get the muscles some workout WITHOUT taxing the healing in progress. So they have ya do a lot of rubber bands and such.

For now until you get it fixed, ya might wanna try getting a e-Stim and put the pads across that area and let 'er rip intensely while you're refrain from the activities you'd normally do that tax/work that area.
 
Top