sore finger in release

Bended Bow · June 14, 2010, 06:38:00 PM

Help! I am a right handed shooter and a shoot a 60" Robertson Recurve at 51#. When I shoot my right ring finger becomes extremely sore and callused while all other fingers are fine - I shoot split finger with glove. After a while of shooting it becomes difficult to get a smooth release because of the pain. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

bowbenderman · June 14, 2010, 07:22:00 PM

WEll I just completed the Rod Jenkins shooting class, he felt my fingers an said right off that I had a bad release because he could feel caluses. His fingers had no caluses even though he said he shot hrs. daily. I finally learned to relax my right hand while I am shooting, the sore spots are going away. If your hand an fingers are not coming straight back thru the shot, you have tension in your release hand, hope this helps, it helped me.

Dean Lintz · June 14, 2010, 08:36:00 PM

I to took Rods class and about 2 week ago got a longer bow for my draw length. The caluses that I had are going away bow has less finger pinch.

browndown · June 14, 2010, 10:22:00 PM

I have the same issue, what do you mean when you say "relax your hand"?

Northwest_Bowhunter · June 15, 2010, 10:53:00 AM

I had this issue and am still battling it. I cant my bow and my head but may well leave me hand straight as I pull off my string. I have gone from having a caluse on my ring finger to having it on my ring and index finger. So even though I made a change it wasn't for the better. Still working on my release, seems the last piece of the puzzle here.

NBK · June 15, 2010, 11:05:00 AM

How high is your drawing elbow? Too high an elbow puts too much pressure on your bottom finger. Look at Terry's form clock thread about how high the elbow should be.

KEG · June 16, 2010, 12:51:00 PM

Torquing your right hand during release also causes this problem. After release the back of your hand should still be parallel with the bow string not turned up facing the sky.

Paco61 · June 16, 2010, 05:55:00 PM

I have the same problem.
Had been shooting with a 45# @28 and recently moved to 56#. Feel a lot of pain in my ring finger.
Should we lower the draw elbow ?

Bill Skinner · June 16, 2010, 09:58:00 PM

Your drawing arm should be level with the top of your shoulders. The tip of your elbow should not be higher than the bottom of your ear. Stand in front of a mirror. Close your eyes and act like you are drawing a bow. Open your eyes and see where the tip of your elbow is. This can be easily corrected by making sure your pinky touches the bottom of your jaw. Bill

Paco61 · June 17, 2010, 11:49:00 AM

Thank you Bill.
Good advise I will do it, and see how it looks on the mirror.
I will also try with getting a picture so I can improve on my form.

BobCo 1965 · June 17, 2010, 12:12:00 PM

The callus is caused from friction of the string. Could be a few things or a combination of things. Main culprits are too much of the finger being used (remember this finger is only there for the ride), too much tension in the fingers to start, torquing the string with the fingers, or it could be that the finger is not disingauging the string at the same time the others are (pretty common).

xtrema312 · June 17, 2010, 01:41:00 PM

I used to turn the hand some of it because of my cant. Also has a little high elbow. Then there were the short bows. They were not the main issue. I got those taken care of for the most part, but still get one on my ring finger. My last problem from what I can tell is not getting the ring finger to relax with the rest. I started to concentrate more on getting that finger to start the release. It is helping a lot.

tradspirit · July 08, 2010, 09:48:00 AM

Not to repeat what others have previously stated, but ring finger callousing/pain is an indication that too much pressure is being placed on that finger when in fact there should be little if any pressure on the ring finger during the draw. In my experience, I strive for a 60/40 split between the index/middle finger during the draw sequence and during the expansion until release. To preclude tension on the ring finger, try simply resting it on the string with the nail visible when viewed from the front and/or right side. The first and second fingers should have their tips pointing (back to the shooter) in such a fashion as to make the nails either partially or completely invisible when viewed from the front and/or right side. The depth of the hook on the first two fingers is critical with in my case the middle finger having the deepest. Pulling more with the middle finger may also relieve the issue of a higher than necessary right elbow that could also as previoulsy stated be putting excessive pressure on the ring finger and not allow for a full expansion using back tension.

71flh · July 11, 2010, 11:24:00 AM

I had used a glove for several years and began to develop a painful callous on inside of my index finger along the side of the finger nail. I switched to using a tab and the callous and pain went away, I have since used a tab for over 20 years. I recently tried a glove that was given to me and almost immediately the pain and callous came back. I am again a happy tab shooter.

RocketDog · July 27, 2010, 12:38:00 PM

When you start messing with individual finger tension you may also affect the tune of your bow. Changing finger tension may require changing nock point. Changing finger tension will definitely affect your aim.

A good tab might help as mentioned above, or you could go with a glove that has thicker finger pads. If you like to really feel the string, you will get a callous.

A callous forming on the index finger along the nail where it rests against the arrow nock (split finger only) can be quickly caused by too short AMO or too heavy bow.

Callous on your ring finger is probably going to happen no matter what you do. Control the callous with a nail file or sandpaper (don't take off too much or it will get sore). If you can figure out a way to shoot without that finger on the string you will probably develop a callous on your middle finger. That's just what happens when you repeatedly stress a spot on your fingers.

July 28, 2010, 02:18:00 PM

I used to have that trouble too. I had an old, very good archer tell that equal pressure across each finger with a deep hook would cure the problem. I've been callous and pain free for... oh... about 25 years.

vernon · July 28, 2010, 11:04:00 PM

Good advice. I get a bad callous on my index finger which I thought was due to draw elbow alignment. However, I've played around with finger tension and different hooks but haven't cured the problem totally. Sometimes I shoot for weeks and nothing and other days I shot a couple of arrows and "ouch". My form/release, and everything else feels the same so not sure what to do. will keep trying thanks.

Steve Clandinin · July 29, 2010, 12:12:00 AM

When I met Cacciatore in May in Saskatoon,we both laughed when we saw each others shooting hands,we both had huge Callouses.If I'm going to shoot for a long period I'll put bandages on my pointer and ring fingers,SAME as Cacciatore.Lately I've shot so much I could loose my tab and it really wouldn't matter.
Just remember THIS is archery ,it wasn't ment to be easy! " Pain is temporary,Chicks dig scars and Glory is forever ".! LOL.

jeff mullis · July 29, 2010, 10:19:00 PM

i have that same issue and do not have that bad of a release but the only thing that even halfway works is shooting a longer bow but my draw lenght is not that long and i just do not like a longer bow than 60 inches. so i just have to suck it up because trust me i have tried almost everything.

Steve Clandinin · July 29, 2010, 10:46:00 PM

Jeff,for years I made a tab out of a real thick piece of Latigo leather .It broke in real nice and no matter what length or weight of bow it was real comfy.Last time my son came home he stole it!.