Trad Gang

I've gone two rounds with tendonitis in my elbow of my bow arm, one last fall, one this spring.  I tried physical therapy and the band that goes on your forearm.  I finally ended up getting cortisone shots to get it to go away.  I prefer to not get any more cortisone shots.  The PT suggested I get a wrist splint/band to keep my wrist from moving while shooting.  The one he had was way to bulky.  Has anyone found a wrist support which provides good support but allows you to grip your bow properly?

Thanks,
Doug

I had that "Tennis Elbow" Pain, I used the Strap that Goes around the ForeArm. I Messed with it for the First Day, Until I "Found the Sweet-Spot! No Pain or Discomfort at ALL!
  The Owner of My Local Shop wears One on Each Arm Most of the Time. I Know there have been LOTS of Arrows have Left His Bows!!

Doug,

I had the same thing so bad one year I could hardly carry my bow to the stand for the pain.  Dr. E.Donnel Thomas (editor of traditional bowhunter) wrote an article on this very topic about 8 years ago.  I would be willing to bet that you could get a copy of that article from them.  This would give you a perspective of a trad bowhunter who is also a MD.  He knows what you are going through.  good luck
Mark

For what it is worth, get the book PAIN FREE bu Pete Egoscue. Someone else on this site referred to it in regards to back pain he suffered with for years. He got the book and is now pain free. I got the book and in just a week I have been experiencing intreresting and postive changes in my body posture, pain and general well being. As crazy as it sounds your pain could be a result of shoulder problems. The book is readily available on Amazon.com.

Thanks for the help,
I read the post on Pain Free and have been considering getting it to see if it will help with my back.  How would I go about getting the article from TBM, just send them an email?  The arm guard has helped but I really don't want this pain coming back this fall.

Thanks,
Doug

QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Carlsen:
For what it is worth, get the book PAIN FREE bu Pete Egoscue. Someone else on this site referred to it in regards to back pain he suffered with for years. He got the book and is now pain free. I got the book and in just a week I have been experiencing intreresting and postive changes in my body posture, pain and general well being. As crazy as it sounds your pain could be a result of shoulder problems. The book is readily available on Amazon.com.

I think that book may be on to something.  Two years ago, I had tennis elbow so bad that I had to stop shooting for several months.  Last year, the shoulder pain started.

The orthopedic doctor and the physical therapist haven't been able much. I ordered the book and will give that a try.

Thanks for the tip,
Allen

I have tennis ebow , golfers elbow and tendionides in the wrist on both arms . Doctors thought I had lymes or some type of arthirites but it turned out to be what he said was the worst case of tendionides he had ever seen on a non athelet person . I have not found much that will help but what I am going to do is have my bows draw weights reduced to 50 lbs to help take some pressure off my wrist and elbows . Its tough getting older LOL ! Work hard , play hard and I guess you pay hard so what can you do but work through it .

Mike Britt

I had tennis elbow really bad a couple years ago so bad I quit shooting for a month I tried using the brace the Dr suggested but it only got in the way so I rigged up an armguard that I could tighten just like the brace and after a couple months I was back to normal but I still use that armguard to prevent it from coming back Good Luck Delin

Just so you know, Egoscue has a web site, as well...www.egoscue.com. You can get on line therapy but it costs a couple of bucks.  One premise he goes by, and it has been true for me most of the time, is that the site of the pain is often not the source of the pain. Remember the old song, " The hip bone is connected to the leg bone, the leg bone is connected to the shin bone..." well, the elbow takes direction from the shoulder bone. Good luck.

Just Get the Surgery! My Arm feels 100 times better than it did!! I had mine repaired back in 99 & the only pain I get is when it is Very cold & I have been sitting still a while. Other than that I draw my Bow EVERY morning Before Leaving the truck to walk to my hunting spot. My Elbow pops, no pain, just one loud pop & thats it.

I had the surgery done at the end of April. Braces, physical therapy, and 4 cortisone shots prior to the surgery only seemed to alleviate the pain for short periods.   My condition had escalated to the point that I would wake up each night on the hour with severe pain.   My elbow and forearm are currently almost back to normal (except for some early morning stiffness), and my doctor has given me the green light to start shooting again.

Doug is asking about preventive measures to keep it from comming back. Surgery can be quite succesful but is used in cases resistent to conservative treatment.

Using the arm band will help hold the tendon, but I would check my form for errors that are causing the strain. I am certainly not a form guru but check left shoulder position (shouuld be low) and left elbow position in the shot sequence. Do you start your draw cycle with your bow elbow down and rotate it out as you draw, this would put strain on the tendon in question.

I had this problem for over a year. I found a hard plastic wrap that goes around the forearm just below the elbow that worked really well. Got it in a place that caters to racket ball players. Then I dropped my bow weight from 76# to 54# and haven't had the pain in 8 years. Frank

I've had aches & pain in my bow drawing elbow since last December. Shooting the bow didn't cause it. Screwing in tree steps in cold weather (for Missouri) late last November got my elbow aching pretty good. Then chipping ice off my driveway really did the trick on my elbow. It still aches & I'm beginning to wonder if the pain will ever go away completely. I can still draw & shoot my bows okay, but I've never had an injury last this long.  I think maybe my advancing age has finally caught up with me. I'm 54 & holding.

http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/feature_ent.html?id=b90b964c5ade11d7e3d26ed9fe800100

Read about half way down "Capsaicin's uses beyond the culinary"

I appreciate all the suggestions,
I know surgery might end up happening in the future.  I guess this fall will tell me whether I can prevent this from coming back.  I've started shooting the bow again but only a couple dozen arrows per session.  I believe mine mainly comes from the bow since this spring I was just shooting but I'm sure screwing in tree steps and the extendable limb trimmer I use during deer season aggrevate it.  I always start my draw with my bow arm up in line with the target.  I'll check on some of the recommended braces and see what I can find as well as some of the medicines mentioned.

Thanks,
Doug

I know a guy that got tennis elbow from sitting at the computer with a chair that was the wrong height.  He got a taller one and sat bak a few inches.  Now he is good to go.

QuoteOriginally posted by katie:
I know a guy that got tennis elbow from sitting at the computer with a chair that was the wrong height.  He got a taller one and sat bak a few inches.  Now he is good to go.

That's me too.  I'm typing with a forearm brace on.  I've just had a couple of weeks with more computer time than usual and my elbow just aches.  Clears up over the weekend but hurts again within a couple of hours back at work.  I also switched the mouse to my left hand for awhile.