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Shoulder pain ....

Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Ok, after I just zapped a new arrow, I have a new problem I've never experienced before. I've been shooting bows since '87 & with my new bow I received last week , my left shoulder ends up hurting as if I've been shooting a 12 gauge all day long. I'm right handed & skinny as some know, but after shooting for a few minutes, I'm not thrilled whatsoever to pull the string back anymore. The bow came with a preset 60lb pull & I've lowered it down to @ 55 lbs. I googled " shoulder pain " in regards to shooting bows, I can't believe how common this is. I've never heard anyone talk about this & I've never had pain before & was able to shoot all day with my other bows. What have you guys experienced ?
 
If you haven't shot in quite some time it's probably best to slow things down and crank it down even more. 50 lbs. is plenty for deer and if you start there now who knows where you'll end up the end of September. If it's real bad like Mike said let it heal if you think you injured it.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
What was your old bow set at Kevin? How old is your old bow? Still shooting the same release or did you get a new one of those as well? I know my old bow is set at a higher poundage then my new bow but the new bow with the newer cams makes it harder to pull back.

It doesn't take much of a change in draw cycle to cause some noticeable shoulder issues. Just take it slow and rest it a bit. No need to hammer away at the target all day. Just pop a 3 arrow round and wait a few hours and go do another 3 round group.
 
Does it hurt on the top of your shoulder? Does your shoulder make cracking and clicking sounds if you do arm circles? Does your shoulder start twitching at random times. If you have any of the above problems you might have torn something in perticular your rotator cuff. If is goes away in a few days its probably just soreness.
 
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Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Thanks for the replies. It's just weird. I'm using the same release & the bow might be 15 yrs old. That's hard to beleive & probably not that old, but it's when Buckeye Outdoors was still in Buckeye Lake when I bought it. Not only does my shoulder hurt, but down along the back of my arm to the elbow as well ... & into my neck a bit. The pain will go away when I'm not shooting, but will pick up after I start. Never ever have I experienced this before. I find it so odd that it's the arm that's just holding the bow, but that's what I'm reading about others who complain as well.
 
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Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Ok, here we go. This is how I always draw back .....


 

Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
If I did that, that means my arm would rotate counterclockwise, & the bottom of my elbow would get hit by the string. My arm is already jutting out, so I can't rotate any further in that direction. I'll play around with it just the same.
 

aholdren

Senior Member
Supporting Member
5,178
151
South East Ohio
Is it possible you might have something out of alingment such as your back or neck? Do you ever go to a chiropractor? Thats what I'd do first.
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
If I did that, that means my arm would rotate counterclockwise, & the bottom of my elbow would get hit by the string. My arm is already jutting out, so I can't rotate any further in that direction. I'll play around with it just the same.

Honestly your bow looks a little short on draw length to me. My comment was more about hand placement which will rotate you arm clockwise from the shoulder.
 

Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Ok thanks. The draw length is 30 1/2 ". It perhaps is a bit short, but that's the best I've come up with. I've always shot that length as it is. You have no idea how much my back is out of alingment. I have spinal scoliosis, but the only problem that bothers me is sciatica. As a matter of fact, I did visit a chiro earlier in the year & the only thing she accomplished was sucking money outta me....lol.
 

rgecko23

*Supporting Member*
7,466
0
Massillon, Ohio
Chirporactors are a waste of money, by the time you get home, your back is out of alighnment again. Do you work out? I have a bit of scoliosis in the middle of my back and have a pinched nerve. The only way I have found to aleviate the pain is to lift and make the back muscles stonger. It has helped a shit ton.
 

Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
I only went to the chiro because my sciatic had nawing at me constant for a few months & became terribly worse when I threw my back out on top of that . Normally the sciatic pain will hit me & then leave. No rhyme or reason to it. Of course, by the time my visits started, all pain went away. I did start getting some pain in the process of the visits, so I figured screw it. What works for me now for whatever reason, I started sitting on a vibrating pad & ALL pain went away for several months. I get a tinge here & there, but it's manageable. With my back & the fused discs I have, which I was born with, it's something that will always be there. They give you a list of excerises to do, which I never do. I know, I know ... my bad.
 
I only went to the chiro because my sciatic had nawing at me constant for a few months & became terribly worse when I threw my back out on top of that . Normally the sciatic pain will hit me & then leave. No rhyme or reason to it. Of course, by the time my visits started, all pain went away. I did start getting some pain in the process of the visits, so I figured screw it. What works for me now for whatever reason, I started sitting on a vibrating pad & ALL pain went away for several months. I get a tinge here & there, but it's manageable. With my back & the fused discs I have, which I was born with, it's something that will always be there. They give you a list of excerises to do, which I never do. I know, I know ... my bad.

I was going to say it kind of sounds like a pinched nerve or perhaps a slipped disc that's giving you that kind of pain. I'm thinking the lighter you can make the draw weight the better so it doesn't put a lot of pressure on it until your muscles get stronger around the affected area.