Hurt the knuckle of middle finger of release hand today. Was lifting something and heard a loud pop and now tendon is extremely sore. Hardly any strength in it either. No way I can shoot. This really sucks because I am about 1 1/2 months from South Africa trip! I have iced it and taking ibuprofen.
Why wouldn't you go to a Dr. With hunting trip of a life time I sure would. Good luck and let us know.
I am going to rest it for a few days and keep working on mobility. If I can't shoot by this weekend I will schedule an appt. Not sure what they could do for it but we will see.
I'd probably come up with some alternatives for drawing and releasing, just in case. Hope it isn't serious, and you get back to shooting comfortably again soon!
Look up Joel Turner's thumb shooting tab/glove if all else fails
If you can't straighten your finger, you've prolly torn or even separated the ligament/tendon. Happened to me while bouldering years ago. PT saved my range of motion in the finger.
I did the same thing last year...embarrassed to say but I hurt my middle finger -bowling. I heard and felt a pop as well. It was the joint right next to my hand and it took MONTHS to heal up. I hope yours is something different because it messed my shooting up for all of last fall. I had to hunt part of the season with the "C" word bow. There was just no way I could draw for months after the injury. Best of luck and keep us posted.
Years ago, shooting a 96 pound bow and holding each shot to check my anchor, something gave way in the base joint of my middle finger. i could only shoot left handed for a few years. Every time I would shoot more than a few arrows the finger would get stiff and sore for days afterwards. i can shoot right handed again, but i need to control myself. The days of shooting 300 or more arrows in a day right handed are over. i always could take a few shots without it flaring up to the point that i could not shoot. I play classical guitar, those right hand fingers are very important to me. If you were lifting and torquing the finger you could had a tendon jump off track and the finger went out of joint with it. A doctor can take xrays, but a chiropractor can make sure it is place. It will need ice either way.
Actually, a doctor(preferably a Radiologist who has done a Musculoskeletal fellowship) can do quite a bit more than take an x-ray, particularly if they have an MRI with a hand/finger coil. Just saying.
I went through exactly that, they said not much can be done just keeping icing and try not to injure it any worse. They do not like to do steroid injections for fingers here. Apparently that can cause ligament thinning, they said the ligaments were already stretched and thin in my case.
I meant from a diagnostic point of view. If it is a completely torn tendon, it won't heal on it's own. Knowing exactly what you are dealing with may make a difference in how it is managed.
The finger has 95% mobility but is slightly swollen on the palm side. The knuckle is still sore in my palm but getting better. I haven't tried to shoot any yet. I have tried hooking my fingers together in front of me and pulling in opposite directions. No pain there. I may try drawing a little to test the waters today.
I fear that if you don't get checked out and treated by a skilled physician, this dog will bite you in the butt hard. This could put you out of bowhunting for a long time, so don't fool around with it.
If you heard a pop, there is a chance your flexor digitorum profundus avulsed from the distal phalanx. Aka: Jersey Finger
I would have it looked at my friend...pm me with questions.
PM'd you Bronz. Shot three arrows and it wasn't painful just stiff.
Wishing you a quick recovery.
QuoteOriginally posted by BRONZ:
If you heard a pop, there is a chance your flexor digitorum profundus avulsed from the distal phalanx. Aka: Jersey Finger
I would have it looked at my friend...pm me with questions.
Yeah, what he said. :bigsmyl:
Here is an option if you need it
http://www.traditionalarcherysociety.com/post/thumb-tab-8625300?pid=1296754630
Chopped the last 1" off the ring finger of my release/right hand in a tractor accident.
Saved the piece and a nice Dr. sewed it back on and while it was healing I shot left handed and hunted (no opportunities) that way for the rest of the year and that deer season.
Am back to right handed now, though it took some work while I got the feeling back in that finger.
Practice, practice, practice.
Finger still lacks about a 1/4" being able to touch my palm when in a shooting curl. It doesn't seem to be affecting my release. 29 days out now.
I feel good about my shooting so going to keep at it.
Glad to her you're recovering!
You can switch to a release if healing will take a while with your trip being so close. It'll move your anchor point and your set up will change slightly because it lacks the string/ finger roll of a tab or glove release. It'll save your trip so I'd get checked out quickly and make that change if necessary and get used to it.