Going Into Shoulder Surgery

[group Um Up]

Ok all I am not here for sympathy i am here postingthis for information on whats happens next. Maybe others that have had the surgery can tell me how long and what they did to get back to bow hunting ready again. Not to mention how long did it take ?

Ok here goes. I have a sholder injury that is now impeeding my ability to pick up items , scratch my head , my back, my chest. I can't even wash my own hair but funny I can still draw my bow back ( that alone makes me wonder ) But anyway I have been diagnosed with a full thickness Right rotator cuff kage of with bone spurs and leakageof joint fluid. For all you that need to understand this more is the motion that you use to make huge circles with your arm i cannot do cause my shoulder locks up .

Ok I have been to 3 different Dr.s and they have all said it in one way or another. I am scared and I worry that I will not be able to bow hunt like I used enjoy. Can you guys out there that have had this please let me know what it did to your hunting future ?

I am really nervouse and even sitting here as the days cound down to my surgery I get cold sweats thinking its gonna make me give up what i love most Hunting and Just being able to go out to the back and shoot a target.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and To you who post to this Thanks for yor time and caring.

Thanks all hope to hear from you soon. . . Y ou guys will be my only human contact while i am sittin around like a bump on a log. ..

[worstcaster]

I just had carpel tunnel surgery and am out of work for 4 weeks. I've never had shoulder surgery so I'm not sure what your draw will be like. I know I can't draw right now, but will be able to after the incision heals up.

[sprintflyer]

I also had rotator cuff surgery a few years ago. I did have to use a crossbow that year and started back with my target bow at 50 pounds the following January. I worked my way up that spring and was shooting my hunting set up at 70# by fall. Do all the PT and take it seriously. You'll be good as new! Good luck!

[Canuck_2]

I hear ya, group. The time and degree of recovery depends on many factors, including things like severity of the damage, how good the surgeon is, and how you treat it post surgery.

I've had surgery on both shoulders, and they were a mess. They were each done in mid December, 2 years apart. Initially you will probably have to keep things very stable until the healing gets a foothold. Then light work, increasing at a prescribed rate. The trick is to minimize recovery time without over doing it and causing more harm. The Doc will have to be all over that for you.

It took me nearly 5 months before I even tried to draw a bow, and initially it was my 28 lb recurve. I gradually worked up to my 50 lb target bow by end of summer and was able to hunt with my 60 lb hunting rig in November. So, nearly a year before approaching 'normal'. I still have some stability problems and can't shoot anywhere near as well as I could pre-breakdown of the shoulders; I'm now about a 290 5-spot shooter. So don't be alarmed - that's plenty accurate for hunting.

One more thing - the less poundage you subject yourself to, the better. I have no trouble killing deer with my 60 lb Razortec (at 58 lb, actually). Even though muscles can be toned to handle humongous draw weights, they will hammer your tendons. They will deteriorate and cannot recover on their own.

I hope that's not too much gloom and doom - I think you have an excellent expectation of a good recovery. You're probably also a lot younger than I am and will heal much more easily. Look forward to the surgery - it can turn things way in your favor.

[DaveH]

I had a torn labrum surgically repaired years ago. It was done at the end of June and I told the physical therapist he had 2 months get my shoulder ready for bowhunting. It took about 2 1/2 months before I could shoot my bow at a reduced weight (I also shoot a razortec). The first time I drew the bow, I thought my shoulder might blow out all the repaired parts -- very slow and slightly painful. I DID recover though enough to hunt successfully, but I had a very hard time setting up and climbing into treestands and I was forced to draw v e r y slowly that first season back. THAT slow drawing motion caused me to miss the only chance I had on a true monster during the early season - he was 15 yards away, broadside and unaware of my presence, but I couldn't draw without a lot of motion and he was never behind a tree. That still haunts me. You COULD delay your surgery until AFTER the season since you can still draw and shoot your bow -- I have a buddy who did just that.

[Bucktail_Bob]

This was my hand last Bow season, I had the pins taken out 3 days before gun season, Its 70% now, good enough.

bb

[ksharvester]

i have two bum shoulders and the one i draw with i broke my collar bone 4 years ago it is strong enough to pull but i dislocated my left shoulder falling off the back of my dirtbike and it was about 3 months ago. i had to set my draw weight at 52#'s this year hopefully i will be able to up that by the end of the year but we will see