Arthritis in shoulder

Mardalf

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Hi. I've had a bad year with health problems and would really like to get back into my archery again, but I have just been advised that I now have arthritis in my left shoulder - my bow arm. I'm borrowing some lower poundage limbs as I had been shooting about 32lbs; I think I have one of the lowest weight (affordable) risers too.

While I wait for doctor's and physio's advice, can anyone else offer some? I need to start winning medals and titles again!

Thanks

Lyn
 

Timid Toad

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Get your physio to set you a bunch of exercises to not only strengthen the supporting muscles of your shoulders but build the strength around them. This will help keep the load off the bones and cartilage and maintain good alignment which will help your archery.
 

KidCurry

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Although I found the physio exercises worked to a degree, the fastest way I found to get back in to archery was a couple of Ibuprofen before, and during, shooting. I went from not being able to get out of bed due to my shoulder pain in both shoulders 12 months ago to starting barebow last October at 32# and now shoot most days at 42#. I'm pretty sure you can't enter comps but for me it was just getting back. As TT said, you need to build up the muscle to protect the shoulder and give the inflammation a chance to recover.
 

Rik

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Can't enter comps taking ibuprofen???
Er, why not? Even if it were banned under certain circumstances, there would surely be a therapeutic exemption available for arthritis... (I can't see it on the banned list).
 

Timid Toad

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Exactly, that's my point, hence the many question marks. Show me a competitive archer *not* taking pain killers of some form or another, I think you'll struggle.
 

KidCurry

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Blimey... it dates back 15 years at least. Drugs lists were not easy to find so I asked a judge at a RS tournament. I was told the only safe painkiller was paracetamol. Just checked and it seems that none steroid AI are fine and loads of athletes use them to offset muscle ache onset during and after training... so it must be okay. That's really good news, :) as I have arthritis I will put some Nurofen plus in my quiver from now on just in case.
 
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Rik

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Thanks for the link TT... I've got that somewhere, but I think it's buried under a pile of other stuff...
 

Timid Toad

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Always double check you have the most up to date version - they change it every 6 months or so.
 

jerryRTD

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Exactly, that's my point, hence the many question marks. Show me a competitive archer *not* taking pain killers of some form or another, I think you'll struggle.
It is banned not because it improves performance , but because it is a diuretic it helps flush other drugs out of the system.
 

Emmadragon

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Well, that's interesting. I just had a look on the DRO, and I see that insulin, in all it's forms, is a prohibited substance. As a Type 1 diabetic, I'm calling that a problem!
 

jerryRTD

Well-known member
Hi. I've had a bad year with health problems and would really like to get back into my archery again, but I have just been advised that I now have arthritis in my left shoulder - my bow arm. I'm borrowing some lower poundage limbs as I had been shooting about 32lbs; I think I have one of the lowest weight (affordable) risers too.

While I wait for doctor's and physio's advice, can anyone else offer some? I need to start winning medals and titles again!

Thanks

Lyn
Come to the dark side. You may not want to hear this but your problem will not go away you have to manage it and a light weight compound is going give you bow arm less stress. See if you can get your hands on a Bowtech Carbon knight or any other compouns with a mass of 3.2lbs.
 

Rik

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It is banned not because it improves performance , but because it is a diuretic it helps flush other drugs out of the system.
The point of that exchange is that Ibuprofen is not banned? It's not restricted at all, either in or out of competition...
 
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