Shooting with injuries?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I used to be a gorilla who played football, boxed and competed shooting at the All Army level with a broken wrist, dislocated shoulders, while recovering from knee surgery and today 40+ yeas later I walk on crutches. I ate lots of aspirin and shot. Was it worth it. Ask me tomorrow when you see me struggling to stand up after getting out of bed. You makes your choices young. you pays for those choices old.

When I was 17 an old duffer in town who watched me play high school football with a knee brace told me I had to start taking better care of myself or I would regret it when I was older. I laughed because I was young and invulnerable, I knew I would heal. I really do wish I had been half as smart as I had been tough, I wouldn't be a crutch jockey today. Your choice not ours but in 30 years remember this post.
 
The injury is the Labrum, the ring of cartilage that holds the arm bone in socket that is commonly mistaken for a rotator cuff. I have an anterior tear and have a bunch of ligaments torn up. The surgery should, since we got it early on, restore normal function. Should being the operative word.

Also, I should mention that it is my left shoulder, the arm that holds up the rifle. I shoot off of my right shoulder. I am pretty much limited to a pistol.

And my question isn't whether or not to go shooting after surgery, the question is shooting tomorrow while today I can barely move my arm. I also have to work today.
Click to expand...

That's the exact same procedure I had in 2005 on my left shoulder as well, and I didn't hold anything back in the days leading up to the surgery once I knew I was going under the knife. So if say use some common sense and don't push it to a point where you intentionally inflict further damage, but I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to shoot away given my own experience with the same procedure.

One real constructive piece of advice I can give you....keep up with the martial arts. It'll get harder and harder to do as you get older and have more things to do with your life,,,,but,,,take it from a "crippled up old guy"...if you don't it will come back to haunt you later in life.
Click to expand...

+1000, These are my thoughts exactly. I had back surgery in 2008 and was told at that point by many I needed to give up golfing in the interest of my longer term back health. My physical therapist however thought the opposite and actually helped connect me with a sports therapist who does rehab specifically for golfers. Now almost 5 years later I'm so glad I've stuck with golf since it has been so good for keeping my back and core strong and actually made my back much more healthy overall. :cool:
 
I am 60 and I guarantee that sins of your youth will come back to haunt you.

My experience is two knee replacements and an inoperable shoulder injuries on both shoulders.

Coming from a graybeard who screwed up his body, my advice is suspend all of your activities which might aggravate your injuries until after the surgery. Then follow your Doc's advice and not screw up his work and the rest of your life.
 
I say go with your friends. Enjoy some good company. Keep the shoulder immobile, do not use that arm at all. If you can shoot a .22 from a bench or something without upsetting the shoulder then go for it. If not just go and hang out with your friends.

I am 35 and my shoulder hurts like the dickens when it gets cold, and after some physical activities. I ignored the doctor's warnings after dislocating my left shoulder. I rode 3 motor cross races, and played in a football game. It hurt like no tomorrow after each time. It hurts today as well. If it would have been hunting season I most likely would have gone hunting as well, and I am a lefty shooter.

The thing is I wised up. I listened to a trainer, and physical therapist and did strength training as was suggested by the doctor. I missed a season of wrestling, and was told by the shidoshi of the dojo if I tried to work out he would kick my tail with a steel toed boot. I now only wish I had listened sooner.
 
My son had that same surgery twice, high school football injuries. With several months of therapy he was able to do almost anything he wants. He has to be careful with some activities, but shooting is no problem. Even fairly heavy recoiling guns aren't a problem.

You may have to give up martial arts. My son messed his up tackling a running back playing defensive tackle. After the 1st surgery he was told he could only play offense since it did not put the same strain on the shoulder. He was moved to Center and dislocated his pretty bad making a tackle after an interception. My sons shoulder would simply fall out walking down the hall as he changed classes. He got pretty good at putting it back in. He has no problems after the 2nd surgery, but was told to forget college ball.
 
I have had 3 back surgery's and looking at a shoulder soon and all I can say is don't shoot slugs out of your 12g! :eek: I wanted to sight in my 12g and man was that the wrong thing to do with a iffy shoulder!

If you shoot AR's get a conversion or dedicated upper to shoot .22lr. No recoil and you still get trigger time on your AR. Same goes for some pistols that offer conversion but, if you reload you can make some pretty mild pills.
 
Well, I shot yesterday, and I will today as well. I will admit, it didn't feel great. And I wasn't very accurate. Hoping to see better results today. Also, if I grab my mag well, then it doesn't hurt terribly bad.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top