Shoulder Surgery and Shooting

AACo · Nov 17, 2015

Hey All,

This is probably an oddball question, but figured someone might have gone through this.

I'm having shoulder surgery in three weeks and will be out for ~4 months. :mad54:

. Anyone that has gone through it, any issues afterwards in regards to getting back into the sport? As we all know, the shoulder takes a beating on those long range days.

Mark75H · Nov 17, 2015

Depends on the gun. Start with something that's not punishing until you are healed.

6 more and you are in

jrumann59 · Nov 17, 2015

depends on the surgery. In a life or death go for it but if its something like a labrum repair or something where hardware and or stitches int he joint are put in. Ask the doctor. That being said I did not pick a gun up until I was cleared 100% by my doctor and physical therapist.

jrumann59 · Nov 17, 2015

Also when you get the surgery ask for the nerve block. Trust me the first 24 hours is a mother and the nerve block leaves you numb the 1st 24 hours and gradually exposes you to the pain.

AACo · Nov 17, 2015

jrumann59 said:
depends on the surgery. In a life or death go for it but if its something like a labrum repair or something where hardware and or stitches int he joint are put in. Ask the doctor. That being said I did not pick a gun up until I was cleared 100% by my doctor and physical therapist.

Thanks for the tips guys. I will leave the Barrett at home (Santa?).

You guessed it! It's a labrum repair and possible hills sachs lesion repair. My surgeon is a pretty cool guy, so I will be sure to have his blessing before I go bustin' clays and whatnot.

AACo · Nov 17, 2015

Mark75H said:
6 more and you are in

It's been a long road, but I think I'm ready.

5.56blaster · Nov 18, 2015

Took me a year after surgery to get full use of my arm again. Had it done in 2011. Still hurts and I can predict the weather better than the guys on TV. Lots of ice and pain killers for a day or two. Good luck.

cmb · Nov 18, 2015

jrumann59 said:
Also when you get the surgery ask for the nerve block. Trust me the first 24 hours is a mother and the nerve block leaves you numb the 1st 24 hours and gradually exposes you to the pain.

The nerve block certainly worked well in my case....BUT, start on your pain meds as soon as possible.I didn't and I ended up in the Emergency Room. Never,have I had unrelenting pain like that!

rico903 · Nov 18, 2015

Don't know what different surgeries are involved with the shoulder but friends with several surgeries under their belts tell me it is one MoFo. All have ended up sleeping in a Lazy Boy for months. Best of luck to you.

teratos · Nov 18, 2015

AACo said:
Thanks for the tips guys. I will leave the Barrett at home (Santa?). You guessed it! It's a labrum repair and possible hills sachs lesion repair. My surgeon is a pretty cool guy, so I will be sure to have his blessing before I go bustin' clays and whatnot.

You should be GTG in just a few months without restrictions.

cmb said:
The nerve block certainly worked well in my case....BUT, start on your pain meds as soon as possible.I didn't and I ended up in the Emergency Room. Never,have I had unrelenting pain like that!

This. I did the same thing. Woke up in the middle of the night understanding what it felt like to have a spike driven through my shoulder.

MRA · Nov 18, 2015

Just like others posted - the nerve block works! When it comes to shooting, pain is one issue but range of motion and strenght are importamt too. Whatever you do, don't do anything that could damage the repairs until you are released by the doc or PT. The recliner and ice and pain meds are some of your best friends. Good luck!

vinjet700 · Nov 18, 2015

a good friend just had it last week and he's expected out for 6-9 months...maybe more.

AACo · Nov 18, 2015

Sorry for the n00b question.

Nerve block isn't a prescription correct? That's a pre surgery injection I'm guessing?

outrider58 · Nov 18, 2015

AACo said:
Sorry for the n00b question.

Nerve block isn't a prescription correct? That's a pre surgery injection I'm guessing?

Coming up on my 1 year anniversary from shoulder surgery. Mine was a bad one(so said my Dr.) requiring open surgery that took an extra 1 1/2 hrs of surgery. I tore 3 of the 4 muscles in the rotator cuff. :sad20:

I started out shooting my ARs in the early spring. I tried my Savage 20 ga bolt gun and that hurt quite a bit. I didn't start shooting my bow till the end of summer. As of now, I'm shooting all my guns with little discomfort(well, I thing I'll wait a little longer before I pick up my 300 Win Mag). By the way, the nerve block did not work for me and it is pretty normal that it doesn't work on everyone and I also found out, the hard way, I am allergic to Percocet. Hope that helps. Good luck with your surgery.

AACo · Nov 18, 2015

outrider58 said:
Coming up on my 1 year anniversary from shoulder surgery. Mine was a bad one(so said my Dr.) requiring open surgery that took an extra 1 1/2 hrs of surgery. I tore 3 of the 4 muscles in the rotator cuff. I started out shooting my ARs in the early spring. I tried my Savage 20 ga bolt gun and that hurt quite a bit. I didn't start shooting my bow till the end of summer. As of now, I'm shooting all my guns with little discomfort(well, I thing I'll wait a little longer before I pick up my 300 Win Mag). By the way, the nerve block did not work for me and it is pretty normal that it doesn't work on everyone and I also found out, the hard way, I am allergic to Percocet. Hope that helps. Good luck with your surgery.

Thanks for the info outrider. While mine won't be open shoulder (that's awful), mine is apparently unique. I tore my labrum almost 360 running top front down and around to top back from what I understand. We will see how it goes. Glad you are feeling somewhat better!

Funny you mention bow hunting. After my first dislocation, I couldn't draw anything greater than 50# without a subluxation. After my last dislocation, I can't draw anything of legal weight. Hoping to get that back.

Brychan · Nov 18, 2015

That's why you have 2 shoulders, just use the spare.

outrider58 · Nov 18, 2015

AACo said:
Thanks for the info outrider. While mine won't be open shoulder (that's awful), mine is apparently unique. I tore my labrum almost 360 running top front down and around to top back from what I understand. We will see how it goes. Glad you are feeling somewhat better!

Funny you mention bow hunting. After my first dislocation, I couldn't draw anything greater than 50# without a subluxation. After my last dislocation, I can't draw anything of legal weight. Hoping to get that back.

The first time I drew my bow since surgery was end of summer and I shot a ground hog in my back yard. It felt fine and I center-punched him. Just be patient and follow Dr's and PT's directions and you should be OK. :thumbsup:

BigDaddy · Nov 18, 2015

AACo said:
Sorry for the n00b question.

Nerve block isn't a prescription correct? That's a pre surgery injection I'm guessing?

It's done by the anesthesiologist. Not all are good at them. Otherwise they inject local at the end of surgery, but the duration is not as long

sxs · Nov 18, 2015

I've had BOTH shoulders done since Jan 2013. The first was my right (my shootin' shoulder). It was a complete rupture of the supraspinatis (one of the rotator cuff muscles). HAd to have it debrided (shreds cut off) and reattached. Also, had a large spur cut off (it, over time, caused the tear), and adhesions removed from the AC joint and rotator area. Took about a year for full recovery (all except still not as strong as it used to be). Surgery was mid-Jan 2013 and I actually shot off it in late May with no significant issues. Released from PT in early August (to achieve maximum range of motions....which was obtained). Biggest issue shooting trap was repeated mounting of the gun caused some minor pain lifting the gun to my shoulder after a number of mounts....recoil didn't seem a problem. Left shoulder required repair of a full thickness tear of the same muscle/tendons but they weren't completely ruptured. Also a bone spur smaller than the one on the right was removed. I didn't have the scar tissue and adhesions to remove like the right shoulder and the debridement was far less extensive (in part because it wasn't completely shredded in two). I was pretty functional after 2 months and no further issues except not as strong as it was a couple years before the shoulder issues got bad (Then again, I am 58).

PJDiesel · Nov 18, 2015

Depends on the caliber and sport.

We have a guy we shot with often (home club is Loch Raven) who shot from the hip for 6 months after a surgery.

He'll beat any sporting clays shooter you may causally know (from the hip). After full recovery he went back to a standard mount of course, but, still shows off quite a bit too.

Shoulder Surgery and Shooting

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