No, this is NOT good

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

So I'm practicing with my compound bows little while ago this morning, shooting a target on a beautiful day from about 18 yards. After maybe 30 shots or so, I pull back....just as soon as I get to full draw, or actually a little before, before full letoff - BAM, my right shoulder joint just pulls forward out of its socket. I can feel it and hear it grind and pop forward, so I drop the bow, fall to the ground, and let out a yelp in pretty bad pain. It popped right immediately back into place as I was letting the string down/ dropping bow/ dropping to the ground all in one motion. So it was literally out then back in, in a matter of less than a second. But it hurt pretty bad for a minute or two. Now this is the same shoulder I've injured 4 or 5 times before playing sports, and so it's a known weak spot since the initial time I dislocated it about 6-7 years back. But first time it's ever done this when shooting a bow, and in the past its dislocated in a backward direction, not forward like this time. This is with a compound set at about 65-68 lb draw weight right now.

So I'm sure gunshy now after feeling that pain. Don't want to do that again. So now I'm going to have to lay off shooting any bow for 2-3 weeks to give it time to heal (which is not good considering archery season starts on Oct 1), AND do some combination of the following:

1. When I resume shooting, crank my bows down to their minimum of 60 lbs, which is still plenty of power for hunting
2. Doctor visit to get Rx for orthotic device of some type which will hold the shoulder backward, and go across the back to the other shoulder to keep the joint more immobilized and held to the rear. OR, obtain such a contraption without the necessity of a doctor visit & Rx (possible?). I think that this idea is probably the best and most important one among my several options.
3. Doctor visit to look at surgery options or other medical options
4. Get a doctor's permission slip saying I'm crippled up, go buy and hunt with a crossbow. Sell my old standard archery equipment. Accept the fact that I'm a borderline geezer, and lose tons of $$ on all the equip I've invested into right handed bows, not to mention the skill level I've invested in.
5. Change to a left-hand shooter, and lose tons of $$ on all the equip I've invested into right handed bows, not to mention the skill level I've invested in.
6. Quit archery shooting & hunting.

I think I'm *definitely* going to do #1.
Almost certainly going to do #2 (any experience or advice with #2 anyone?)

Really don't want to do #4
Really really don't want to do #5
Really really REALLY don't want to do #6

But looking for advice on #1 - #3, espec. #2 and #3, if you have had anything similar happen. Thanks very much in advance. I was really looking forward to getting 1 or 2 deer with a bow this year.

 

[bulbboy]

OUCH!! My daughters ankles do that - she is a basketball player and has to massively tape her ankles and use braces from now on.

Hope all goes well

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I promise you that when/if that happens to your/her ankle, it hurts on an order 5-10 times worse than the shoulder - been there and done both - yowsa. I've done all four of these in terms of dislocation/severe sprain, and this is the order of worst pain to least:

1. Ankle
2. Elbow (close second)
3. Shoulder (distant third)
4. Thumb

Thankfully I've never done a knee. Of course, my perspective may be skewed since my shoulder always pops almost immediately back into place. I'm sure if it *stayed* out until the ER staff treated you, it would hurt far worse than what I've experienced.

P.S. Safety lesson to be gleaned, kiddos: This is why I always draw with my bow/arrow pointed down at the ground... if something happens, the arrow just goes into the ground.

 

[MDT]

Xrays likely will not be all that helpful. Soft tissue injuries seen best by MRI. Go to doctor, let them examine you to see what the best diagnostic test would be.

 

[bulbboy]

I saw the look on her face the last 4-5 times it has happened - I can't imagine. So I feel for you

 

[_CY_]

I'd go less than 60lbs... a few years back it was normal for folks to hunt with 45-50 lb traditional bows.

now days everyone seems to be in an arms race to achieve 325+ fps. with draw weights of 65-70lbs the normal.

I can pull that much weight with no problems, but I've chosen not to.
my bow is set at 55lbs and I've had no problems taking down deer.

this is the exact reason I sold my Beeman .25 Crow Magnum air rifle. it took a good 65lb pressure to cock the darn gun. sure I liked the way it shot... very accurate and powerful. but cocking the gun the first few times with dead cold muscles felt like I was borderline tearing something.

This is with a compound set at about 65-68 lb draw weight right now.

 

[POSITIVE DISCONTENT]

That is the reason my bow is going bye bye.... I cant pull it back sense I tore my shoulder....

 

[RidgeHunter]

If you are able to resume shooting, stick to 45-50 pounds. Plenty of deer with holes through both lungs would tell you that is plenty.

My only advice is as follows:

A. IF your doctor says it's OK, get a 45-50 pound bow and practice the bare minimum so as not to hurt yourself. (My Hoyt is a 60 pound minimum, yet I have it cranked down to 54#, and it will go lower than that. Bows will often go below minimum.)

B. If that is not possible, go for the x-bow this season, then you will have another year to figure out what to do.

That sucks dude... but #6 is not an option!

 

[dennishoddy]

I took the first 3 of my deer with a 45 lb bow. All were double lung complete pass thru's.

 

[RedTape]

Shot my first deer with a 40 lbs. bow. Pass-thru. Shot a 400 lbs. P&Y black bear with a 50 lbs bow. Pass-thru. All that extra weight is just over-kill. Let the shoulder rest, drop the weight down and use a good cut-on-contact broadhead. You'll be good to go.