rotator cuff

[stooge]

Anybody have rotator cuff surgery? Was wondering when they felt safe enough to pull the compound back. How long after the surgery before the pain stopped.Been chomping at the bit to get a new bow, afraid to pull back, don't want to go thru this again!

 

[Dan O]

In 2004 I had surgery 2 1/2 months before a Bear hunt in Sask. The Dr told me he thought it would work out okay. I but 50 lbs limbs on my bow and waited till 2 days before leaving to sight it in. I had it at 40 lbs at first then in camp adjusted it to 50 lbs and fine tuned the 20 yard pin. The last day I scored on a nice color phase Boar at 6 yards from the tree stand. I got a complete pass through using a 4 blade Magnus Stinger.

One thing that helped me was the Dr. used a catheter type pain killer drip in my shoulder that lasted three days after surgery. The P.T. said that helped calm things down and therapy was effective earlier than normal. I also told him of my needs for the Bear hunt and he worked toward that outcome and it turned out great.

Good Luck!!!!

 

[mthillrunner]

I had mine repaired along with a couple other issues including bone grafts & such. Was not a simple rotator cuff repair. He told me 12 months before I'd feel good again. He was not kidding, I didn't touch my bow for 9 months, had to drop the weight way down. I got pretty discouraged. Shoulder started improving quickly at about 10.5 months, started feeling good at 12 months. I have several friends that started shooting their bows at 4 months post op with minimal issues. Three factors make a big difference: your age, younger is better, if it's only a rotator cuff or more involved & your physical condition prior to surgery. Good luck to you, DONT over do it, you most certainly don't want to be starting over

 

[stooge]

Thanks for the info, no I don't want to over do and go thru this again! Im gonna be optimistic with the 4 months, gives me some light at the end of the tunnel. Surgery was Feb 1, still have a lot of pain on top of shoulder, bicep where the screws were put in, also down my bicep on the arm. I hope this is just part of the healing process.

 

[mthillrunner]

It is unfortunately part of the process. How 2 people heal is highly variable. I was in the fashionable immobilizer for 5 months before physical therapy started. I could/did go fishing, couldn't reel so I just pulled em up on the bank. Good luck with recovery

 

[Lawnboy]

Goes easy on it and listen to your physical therapist. I have had 3 shoulder surgeries. The last one required a bone graft due to wear from it popping in and out. I learned to pull my bow back with my arm by my side and then raise my elbow up after its drawn. Not good form but it's what I did and now I can't change. Oh well. It's not worth rushing it. Use those therabands for strength training starting out low in weight. When you do start with your bow put it down to like 40 lbs and see how you feel. I wouldn't even attempt that until late July. Use those bands and that will slowly build strength. Good luck. I feel your pain.

 

[choc dogs]

Can't help you much, I'm currently recovering from distal tendon repair. They're telling me at 12 weeks I may get back to 20 lbs lifting. I just got clearance after 3 weeks to lift 5 lbs with that arm. I do know, I don't want to start over, so I'm being very careful. I feel your pain at the restrictions, but everyone is saying time is your friend, followed by pt. either that or it is reliving the inquistion, depending on who you listen to. Good luck, with the recovery and the hunt.

 

[Tradewind]

Alot depends on where and how much you tore things up. Minor and you'll be back by hunting season. More involved, and most of them are, and it will
be a long slow road back. I have had 3. The physical therapy plays a big part. don't rush it. For me the stretching they did was the key. And you need to keep doing it if you want to get anywhere close to where you were before. That is of course, while you work to rebuild your strength. You have to start very slow on the weights once they give you the ok, abt 3 months post op. Itty bitty weights with lots of reps and keep stretching. At some point you will over do it and have to back off for a while. If you tore it up good, it will not get back to where it was. Just some % of what was. Say, pressing 70lb dumbbells in stead of 80's. It'll give you something to shoot for though. I re read your post. The part that will feel absolutely great is when you come out of session of PT after they do all of the stretching and it will feel like you can go hit the weight room big time. resist the urge. Good luck.

 

[stooge]

Thanks for all the replies and info, I know a lot of people went thru this but not many are archery hunters. Also, 2 weeks before that surgery I had my spine fused, that was a breeze compared to the rotator, still cant sleep good.

 

[kansasdad]

Some things can be rushed and it turns out ok: Fed-Ex and drive through fast food might be a couple of examples. Ligaments and bone take healing on their own time table, and there is not much a doctor or patient can do to speed up healing. There ARE things docs/patients can do to slow healing down. Bone healing is driven by inflammation. The cells that grow bone and cause bone union slow their growth down when inflammation is suppressed. Therefore NSAID (Mobic, Celebrex, Naprosyn, Ibuprofen) useage should be reduced if possible.

(Of course, the above info is worth exactly what you paid for it!!.......ask your doctor and PT.)

 

[Wapiti Warrior]

I communicated to my doctor and PT guy that bow hunting was my life and that is my ultimate goal to get my shoulder back into shape for pulling the bow back. My PT had me do specific exercises just to get the shoulder in shape. 4 months later I was cleared to shoot my bow. And I had the confidence from my pt that my shoulder was good.
John

 

[stooge]

I will keep that in mind John when I go for PT, thanks.

 

[beagle001]

Listen to the physical therapist! It might get tedious, but do every word he/she says!
My surgery and recovery went fairly well, but it was 3 1/2 months before I was cleared (and confident/brave) enough to draw my bow. My doc said shooting firearms was ok at 2-2 1/2 months.

Good luck, and hopefully you have a full recovery. 6 years later, and I still can't throw a ball like I used to, and I get some extra aches and pains once in awhile, but I can't complain too much. Think I may have issues because it was misdiagnosed and I had 3 months in between injury and surgery.

 

[MooseCaboose]

3-4 months depending on your capacity to heal. Be diligent and relentless with your therapy and actually do it at home.

I was shooting again 3 months post op.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Never had a rotator cuff repair, but I have been the recipient of a number of joint injuries requiring medical attention and rehab. The best advice I think anyone could give in terms of recovery time is that you follow the directions of your physical therapist very stringently. My experience has been that those guys really know what they're​ doing.

 

[Brian in Montana]

PT is a very cool profession. I'm kind of considering it as a second career, once I reach retirement in my current one - I got about eight years.

 

[stooge]

Advice taken Brian, thank you. I hope to start PT in 2 weeks, stretching at home as per Doctor, but no strength in arm yet.I can get arm over my head, just need the other arm to do it! Maybe tie a rope to it, then I can change my user name to Kermit.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Good luck, brother.

 

[F250]

I have had surgery on both of my shoulders and my lower back over the years. I too recommend following the instructions from the PT folks to the letter, including doing all the homework assignments they give you.

 

[elkhnter]

Had mine on May 10th and was pulling 70# elk hunting on September 1st. Listen to your PT! They know what they're talking about. Be up front about your goals and they will help you reach them.