Rotator cuff surgery

Had surgery back in Dec. was able to back to work in April. Dr told me it would be a year to a year in a half. For recovery. I waited to long like most people do. My was torn almost all the way had three anchors put in to hold everything down. He said take it slow and easy don't rush it.

goshenmountainman said:

Just had rotator surgery on Jan. 18 of this year. Have not shot my bow since the day before surgery. I am doing very good and have no pain at all, but I am scared to shoot my bow this early. I am going to wait till August to start shooting at a lower poundage, already bought a new bow with less poundage than I have ever shot before. Just do your physical therapy and also do the excercise they give you to do at home. My surgeon and my physical therapist said they had never had anyone recover as fast as I have. All I did was what they told me to and I stuck with it and nothing extra. Wishing you a speedy recovery, and lots of shooting in the future.

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I'm definitely doing what they tell me. I do not want to go through this again. No fun at all.
I have no plans to try and pull my bow back till the surgeon and therapist give me the go ahead.
Hopefully that will happen before the rut!

Thanks for all the supportive comments, it helps.

after mine i jumped right into it work and play 3 years ago pain was bad enough i was going to give up bow hunts my sons bought me cross bow take it easy work your way back dont force it you can get back dont mess up the work you had done

Surgery

BowanaLee said:

This ain't what I wanted to hear. I climb and carry ladders, use drills, hammers and pry bars every day. Ain't no way I can lay out a few months. A year might put me in the street. I may have to just suffer through it ?

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No way you're going to just Suffer through it! The kind of job you've described takes a young man in great shape to work like that. My situation will make you go get the /40 cal. and an extra clip so you'll have enough if you miss your head the first shot! I have Osteoarthritis all over my body. It's cost me both knees being replaced as well as both hips. Now this past Dec. I had an endoscopic surgery on my right shoulder, my strong arm. and they found bone spurs and cartilage all over the inside of the joint like an M-80 had went off in there. Like I said, that was Dec. 19. That shoulder, today, hurts worse than it did BEFORE the surgery and it's getting worse. I've already sceduled another surgery, same place in the first part of July. This time it's not just going to be a few punctures. It's going to be those and an incision about 4 inches long going left to right to be able to see what in the world is causing the pain I'm in. Man, I'm miserable. In a best case scenario, the Doc says it will take 4 to 5 months to get back to full strength. First, he doesn't know COOP, I'll cut that down to 2 months max cause I got bucks to burn in Fulton Co. and lots of shootin to do! Like all of you whose stories I've read here, Man, I wish you the best. May the Creator of all nature be with you and help you get back to full health and strength. One last thing that someone else brought up. After my recent surgery, I dropped all my bows down as low as they could be safely dropped just to see how they shot and if I could even pull them back. Talk about a shock! Man, it was cool pulling 59-60 lbs. It was nothing. I might just start shooting less poundage because I'm still screaming at this lower poundage and expect a pass through with the mechanicals I'll be using. Good luck to everyone who is facing this type surgery. Stay here and let us all know how you're doing. I know for a fact that just like me and my situation, you'll have time to learn more about yourself and your ability with your bow as well as what your bow is capable of with this lower poundage. It'll give you time you haven't had before to really practice without burning out so quick and with this extra time you'll learn more about what you and your bow can do. Good luck!!

Push comes to shove, you can always go with a crossbow.
I had a shoulder replacement (left side and I'm right-handed) back in Jan. of '12. I had sold my Martin several years prior as I simply couldn't bear to pull it. Took me a year or so before I could hold up the crossbow (or a rifle) comfortably enough to hunt.
Hoping you recover fully but it is an option.

I've torn my right rotator cuff three times over the years and still shoot a 70 pound bow. I opted to forgo the surgery and have never regretted it

chill15 said:

I've torn my right rotator cuff three times over the years and still shoot a 70 pound bow. I opted to forgo the surgery and have never regretted it

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So it healed by itself ?
My back went out 2 times. 1st time it put me down for 8-12 months. It finally somewhat fixed itself. About 5 years later it went out the 2nd time. Fixed itself in 8-12 months again. Last time it went out was 6-7 years ago. I still have to be careful. My brother had the same problem but had good insurance so he had surgery. To this day, I think mines stronger than his. Is it possible my shoulder will straighten out within a year ?
Maybe a Cortisone injection or two will get me by until it heals ?

Went to see doctor today. Said it was degenerative arthritis and prescribed anti-inflammatory drug. 800 mg ibuprofen 3 times a day for a week. No cure for me but the good part is no surgery either.
If I can get a handle on the inflamation, I may get back to being somewhat normal ? Well, as normal as someone living with degenerative arthritis. At least I know I'm not tearing tendons or muscles.
Now I have to figure out what to do about the spot on my lung found during xrays ? If it ain't one thing its another. I love getting old because it beats the alternative.

Sounds way to familiar....2 years ago had a torn rotator cuff and the Doc told me my two choices of full recovery was 8-12 months physical therapy or 8-12 months with surgery...being the wimp that I am I did the PT...it did take me the 8-12 months to get bak to normal and shooting a bow again...then this year I got the degenerative arthiritis diagnosis....have cut back shooting a compound...bought a crossbow for plan B.....going to be 66 in few weeks and paln to keep bowhunting one way or another till it is absolutley impossible.

I had a rotator cuff tear and bicep muscle tear and had surgery 3 years ago in January and could shoot by September. Shot a compound 1 season and then the pain started back and have been shooting a crossbow the last 2 seasons.

Had my left done in October 2013, tendon completely detached and bone spurs, I was 57 years old. It was reattached, underwent aggressive therapy, was released with no restrictions in early February 2014. To date my left is way better than my right, stronger and more range of motion. Am right handed, shoot my bow with zero issues.
Now if only my back and right knee would be better............

I had surgery to repair my right rotator cuff and torn biceps in May of 2014. I went through months of physical therapy and while I was pain free by the time bow season came around, I had not regained all the strength needed to hunt with a bow. I hunted with a crossbow that year. I still haven't hunted with a bow because I have now developed pain in my left shoulder.

I have not bow hunted in many years but I had rotator cuff surgery right after thanksgiving and I would not do anything to retear your shoulder. That surgery was the worst thing I have ever went through and don't want to go through that again ever. I could not even hold a pistol with 2 hands to shoot without pain, finally had to have the surgery and doing great now but not going be pulling a bow string or throwing a baseball but I am 67 years old. Just get you a crossbow for this year, not worth the risk.