EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

I just got a bow for christmas and am shooting 65 lbs. First bow ever. It isn't a strain to pull it back at all. I have shot about every other day since then. I have no pain in my right arm (pulling arm) but the arm I hold the bow with becomes extremly soar in the shoulder, sometimes after I shoot alot I cant barely move it. Anybody else suffered similar problem or have suggestions? Please Help love shooting but pain is almost unbareable.

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

Funny you should say that. I woke up thiss morning with the same thing. I shoot a lot and shot yesterday with no pain at all. Woke up this morning and almost can not lift my bow arm. I work in a hospital so I have some knowledge. I am going to treat mine with Advil to reduce inflammation and apply ice often. This is the part I hate and you will hate also, no shoot for a while. It does need some time to heal. The very best med. for inflammation is called Vioxx if you can get a presciption for some. Good luck.

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

first off welcome to the board
now to your problem I suggest you back the poundage off to 60 so you put less stress on the shoulder and build up to what you want to shoot at slowly the same as you would in weight lifting.
You have to let the muscle build up without too much stress on it

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

The only thing is that it doesn't really seem like a muscle. I don't know maybe rest it for a week or two and drop the poundage.

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

BIGS, you have to be very careful about your front shoulder, and that goes for everyone. I think this may be a form issue. My suggestion to you would be if you have an archery shop close by, go and shoot there. Ask the owner or person running it to watch your form, or if you can get your hands on a coach utilize them. I beleive you have a high deltoid problem( of course not seeing you shoot, my conclusion may be wrong). With a high deltoid, usaully you are over extending your shoulder socket and taking the pressure that should be distributed across your shoulder blades and putting it directly in your joint. <img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>
This can cause major injuries to the deltoid mucscles, such as rips, tears, or even muscles being stripped from the insertions of your bone. OUCH, happened to my coach. It also puts un needed pressure on your shoulder joint, which can cause break down's in the bone. Most reason's for over extending the deltoid, compensation for a draw length that is to long, to much hand on the grip causing poor arm-body alignment. If this is serious, it can't be fixed over the net, and must be taken to a professional person, with alot of form experience. Please do not take this lightly, and I am being totally serious, I wouldn't want to see a new archer have to leave the sport early in to it. Good luck, and great shooting. Take care of that shoulder.
Dylan

>>>>--------o-->

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

i agree with dylan, sounds like a form problem. next time you shoot try this. forget about hitting the bulseye. draw back and think about the position of your sholder. is it pushing up toward your ear? your sholder blade is it pushing backwards? think of the tension of each muscle. now let your breath out and let your sholder drop and relax as much as posible. is your grip tense? it too should be relaxed. only enough presure to keep the bow from falling. the best advise i was given when i started was &quot;practice does not make perfect only perfect practice does&quot; if you practice bad habits in form your body will remember this and contenue to shoot improperly. practice your form every shot if you get the least bit tired stop shooting, if you dont it will make bad habits.
good luck and shoot strait
Ron

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

You might want to try a wrist strap if you don't already have one.You may be keeping your arm too stiff.Rn,Hntr is right try Vioxx I get pain in my back and shoulder and tried everything else.Nothing took the pain completely away except when I got the Vioxx.Good Luck.

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

55# Recurve and lazyarcher are dead on the money. Rotator cuff injuries are very painful and not to be ignored. Have your draw length measured...sounds like you are too long forcing your bow shoulder high.

Edited by - Zippernut on 02/11/2002 06:40:44

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

Bigsmooth35 - Not so much with a compound, but my longbow at times kills my shoulder. Same thing too, sore and sometimes pops in my shoulder socket actually ... but then my Dad has bad shoulders and I figured I kinda got it from that.

55#recurve - Heres my shot - I hold the bow out, much like I did when compound shooting with very little push/pull action, kinda like olympic style shooting. This is the best for me, the push/pull of Asbell kills me. I shoot with a cant, and I only hold for a moment at my anchor before release. I am going to joing a trad club this spring and shoot with guys in the know, but until then, what are your suggestions for me ?

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

A newbie that joined our club last year had the same problem with a painful bow arm shoulder. I asked him to shoot a few arrows while I watched. Very first arrow his problem was obvious. His shoulder was up around his ear when he was shooting. It took me several weeks of working with the guy before he learned how to relax that shoulder and hold it low throughout the shot cycle.

The difficult thing about getting those shoulders relaxed is that many people are under a great deal of stress these days. Many, many people carry that stress in their shoulders. You have to learn how to release the tension in your shoulder muscles before that shoulder will drop down where it's supposed to be.

Once you learn how to release that tension, you will be learning how to deal with your stress level too. Clearing your mind and concentrating on shooting a few arrows every day is a big help. Especially if you can get a picture of your boss to shoot at. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

I agree with 55 # Recurve.. it sounds like a form issue. It could also be exaggerated or brought on by a bow fit issue(like draw length and poundage). If that shoulder is riding up you'll have troubles. Don't overshoot!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

I'm with 55# and the rest on this and can probably prove it. The ONLY time I EVER get any shoulder pain is when I have to tune a 31&quot;+ bow at higher poundages. I tune thousands of bows a year and I hate to tune those longer draw lengths. I'm 29 1/2&quot; so we're talking in the neighborhood of +1 1/2&quot; too long for me.

I can shoot all day long and not experience any shoulder pain until that draw length gets too long for me. Get it checked out.

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

Stealthy, If you are indeed serious about asking me about form, this is what my coaches tell me.
So I will pass the info along, whether it be traditional, or whatsoever. Practice this, if you have one of those warm up band's, (surgical). Grab it with the bow hand and draw it. As you draw the band keep your deltoid relaxed and allow your front shoulder to sink into your body with the help of your shoulderblade moving toward's your spine. Do this alot, and before everytime you go to shoot. For alignment, don't hyperextend the elbow, alway's keep a slight bend in the elbow, to allow the force of the bow to run down your arm through your shoulder and into your back. My coaches taught me a different grip style that puts the top of your hand on a 45* angle. The grip style puts an auto bend in the elbow, and causes very good alignment all the way down the arm, as long as your deltoid is sucked into your body you should shoot very comfortably. My suggestion, and this is comming from someone that isn't of the highest experience, but my suggestion is, take all the tension out of your arm's-deltoids, or as much as you can, and transfer it to your shoulder blades and back where all the big muscles are. Even at a canted position this can be acheived. My coaches have done alot of shooting, different styles, Dianne has done olympic, compound, traditional. Red&Eileen, have shot alot of the same stuff, Eileen has a few canadian records that just recently got beatin so I listen to her alot. Red is the form guru, so have to take heed to what he says. We have a few other good coaches here as well. Good luck and good shooting.
Dylan

>>>>--------o-->

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

I have the same pain. It can be a constant ache, but most often comes on like lightning out of the blue when I lift something or even just lift my arm.

The pain is on the front side of my bow arm deltoid,, and it can be so intense that it can make me drop something.

In addition to a form problem, it sounds like it could be caused by a draw that is too long. Or is it the other way around, with the lengthy draw causing me to slip into poor form?

Keep 'em all in the Bull.

Edited by - bulzeye on 02/11/2002 12:57:30

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

went to my local proshop today got fitted for a new bow and was 1&quot; to long on first bow got setup with a q2 29&quot; instead of 30&quot;. Maybe this will help and I was practicing form and I hold my shoulder way up by my ear I think I need to relax it. Thanks for the help

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

55#recurve - Dead serious

I started canting my bow about a month or more ago, and with that, yeah, I think my shoulder does come way up when I do that. I have been sitting here pretending and yeah, thats where the discomfort is. Keeping my shoulder down is what my problem is I think (or one of many :))

THATS what this bowhunting forum should be about - learning and discussing things ! Darn glad I opened this thread up - THANKS

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

This link is a link that I have in my bookmarks, Haven't looked at it in a while. But I figure it will give those in need an intresting look at proper form. Read up, and notice the picture of the guy at the top, don't know who he is, but the form is pretty good.
http://www.neoreality.com/archery/sh...ead%20Position
Good shooting, and I hope this will help you ot a bit. Stealthy, Im going to find some pictures and do a little anatomy drawing of bones, and muscle movement for archery, Could you please post them, when I send them to you.
Thank.
Dylan

>>>>--------o-->

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

Yes, send them to me.

Good article there .... so Koreans are the best of the best ??

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

55#: I see he likes Alexander Kirollov as a coach - he was/is my coach.

The form picture shown seems to indicate a &quot;high&quot; wrist; but, pictures can be deceiving. I personally am a believer in more of a lower wrist which will put the elbow down further and, in many cases, negate the need for an arm guard and facilitate the action of the arm as a shock absorber. This is the method Alexander teaches and has proven to be very effective.

The bow arm style shown, IMO, has been prevalent in tournament archery, but seems to be changing somewhat for the method I mentioned.

Other than my preference of bow arm positioning, and based on only one photo dimension, the form of the archer in the picture looks good.

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

Yeah, I like the low wrist style myself, It allows your body to conserve energy dually needed. I had problem's with a high shoulder, when I first started Olympic style, Its so totally different from compound and it takes getting used to. But I enjoy every moment of shooting my recurve, although I can be a little hard on myself sometimes, when having a bad shooting day. Good shooting.
Dylan

>>>>--------o-->

RE: EXTREME ARM PAIN
 

55#recurve - Yesterday I shot my bow a little, and at first I was shooting like I have been lately, canting the bow pretty hard. Yep, my shoulder immediately groaned. I then switched back to more of an Olympic style, bow just slightly canted and sure enough, that forced my shoulder much lower, and I even noticed that my socket would rotate as well. Ya'll might have helped me out on this quite a bit ....

I'll post those pics this morning for you ...