TargetTalk

I have just been diagnosed with arthritis and a torn rotator cuff in my left (non-dominant) shoulder. I had been finding it increasingly painful to shoot for some months and decided to give it a rest for a season whilst I sought a referral to see what was going on. I can't help thinking that nearly 40 years of rifle shooting has contributed to, if not caused it? It's unusual to suffer this on the non-dominant side, I have no history of any trauma or other injury to that shoulder. And no issues with the other one. Has anyone else suffered similar problems ? I did suggest to the consultant that I thought shooting might be a factor but he dismissed it and I don't really think he understood the potential for a repetitive stress injury caused by shooting. I suspect I'm likely to be given cortisone injections and a course of physiotherapy. I can't take NSAIDs.

Has anyone suffered a similar injury which they think could be related to their shooting ? Has anyone had treatment for a torn rotator cuff and if so, how has it affected your shooting ?

Doubtful that shooting caused this, especially so in the non-dominate shoulder...... I am a ski patroller in my other life, and I've had similar injuries in both shoulders, both repaired surgically, and both now functioning well. When I asked my surgeon what I had done to cause this, he replied, "perhaps nothing... you've been working on these (injuries) for some time..." In other words, some people are just prone to it.....

Unfortunately, for most rotator cuff tears, the only solution is surgery....

Cousin Jack wrote:Unfortunately, for most rotator cuff tears, the only solution is surgery....

That's my experience as well, albeit with friends that have had that injury. All were easily solved by surgery and all are back doing sports like golf etc, so I don't see any reason why your shooting should suffer.

Rob.

Cousin Jack....

".... In other words, some people are just prone to it....."

Nice pun!

Cousin Jack wrote:Doubtful that shooting caused this, especially so in the non-dominate shoulder...... I am a ski patroller in my other life, and I've had similar injuries in both shoulders, both repaired surgically, and both now functioning well. When I asked my surgeon what I had done to cause this, he replied, "perhaps nothing... you've been working on these (injuries) for some time..." In other words, some people are just prone to it.....

It's the non-dominant shoulder of course that takes all the strain in prone rifle shooting... :~/

RobStubbs wrote:

Cousin Jack wrote:Unfortunately, for most rotator cuff tears, the only solution is surgery....

That's my experience as well, albeit with friends that have had that injury. All were easily solved by surgery and all are back doing sports like golf etc, so I don't see any reason why your shooting should suffer.

Rob.

Thanks Rob... i guess I'll just have to be patient :~/

I too, have had surgery on my non-dominant shoulder after years of rifle shooting. I expect that it has to do with using a sling. The sling (at least using my prone position) puts a great deal of stress on my shoulder. However, my dominant shoulder is also injured but no surgery to date. I am not sure if there is anything most shooters can do about any future shoulder damage. Maybe strengthening the shoulder might help, but that should be addressed by a physical therapist.

Since a weight training injury left me with a moderately torn rotator cuff something or other (a lot f pain, inability to hold the black, inabiliy to raise my son over my head) two summers ago I've recovered fully, without surgery. My shoulder endurance is better than it was prior to that injury and my air pistol results are improved modestly. After an initial rest and healing period of a couple of months I began to train again, light theraband use then light weights. It took almost a year to feel solid, 18 months to feel improved. I maintain horizontal rotational exercises with the theraband in both directions daily and feel that this has been the most stabilizing force in my recovery.

Air pistol shooting became painful with the right arm, moved to the left, in two months was back to usual scores (540+) and in three had to drop it.
Two Magnetic resonances later and the doctor said right shoulder is worn, nothing really wrong with it. Left side has a partial rupture of tendon (forgot which).
Can be operated. Forty minutes surgery, EIGHT months recovery. Probably no shooting again.
Now, this was 2 yrs ago, I was 61 and when younger played volleyball, tennis, water ski and had some bad falls. Add this to sedentary life.
Radio controlled gliders for me now, but miss shooting.