Getting your body ready for bow season.

Getting Your Body Ready for Bow Season

Bow season is coming up soon, and PT’s across Michigan are getting ready to see some sprains and strains associated with drawing a bow. Bow hunters are especially prone to shoulder strains when the season starts because they rarely condition themselves before heading out to practice. Here are a few tips to get you in shooting-shape and avoid losing precious time during the season.
Injury Prevention
1. Start exercising important muscle groups at least 2 months before opening day. This might come a little late this year, but keep it in mind next August.
2. Always stretch and warm-up the upper body before shooting.
3. Ice any areas which ache immediately after shooting.
4. If it hurts, don’t pull!
Injuries Commonly Seen in Hunters
   1. Shoulder tendonitis/impingement- Toothache-like sensation in the shoulder joint, commonly caused by weak shoulder blade muscles; pain increases with use
   2. Wrist or elbow tendonitis- dull ache in the wrist or on top of the elbow; caused by lots of small tears in the tendons which cross these joints
   3. Low back strain- pain may be sharp, stabbing, achy, or just tight-feeling; many, many different causes; lots of different treatments
If you already have a sore shoulder, back, or other joint going into the season, meeting with a physical therapist can help you fix the problem before its time to start practicing. To get started, call one of our facilities for a free consultation or see your doctor and ask for a prescription for physical therapy.

By Jeff Samyn, PT, OCS, CSCS|2013-09-25T19:57:43-04:00September 25th, 2013|Wellness|

About the Author: Jeff Samyn, PT, OCS, CSCS

Jeff earned his B.S. in Psychology and Master's in Physical Therapy from Central Michigan University. He has earned his board certification as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Jeff heads up our Worksite Medicine program, which focuses on ergonomic assessments, job analysis, and Functional Capacity Evaluations. His expertise is in the management and treatment of back and neck pain, peripheral joint rehabilitation, and treating general pain conditions. He has a special interest in working with runners of all ages and ability levels. Jeff and his wife have a daughter, a son, and a black lab named Goose. In addition to spending time with his family, Jeff enjoys mountain biking, fitness training, fishing, snow-shoeing, hiking, and coaching baseball and softball.