Advanced Marksmanship Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

[stillbuster]

When shooting PRONE where do you place the top of the recoil pad? Picture (A) deep in the pocket UNDER the collar bone OR Picture (B) in the pocket slightly ON TOP of the collar bone?

I tore a muscle or rather where a muscle connects in my shoulder while working out.
I have been getting injections and the Dr. said a minimum of 6 weeks to heal or surgery. He said it is the connection point that runs in a trough on the front part of the longbone of the arm closest to my shoudler.
I have laid off of it for 3 weeks and haven't shot anything larger than a .223 until today. My shoulder felt great and I had planned on starting to do some light bodwyweight workouts starting Monday.
I had some free time today and thought my shoulder was good enough to shoot my .308 WRONG!
I felt it on the first round, which brings me to the reason of my post, am I shouldering my rifle to low? I shoulder as in picture A.

 

[JFComfort]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

When I shoot prone supported the rear of the rifle is closer to position B

not because that's the right way to do it, but because I get the best scope picture with the way my eye relief is set up.

if its a matter of your shoulder healing I would lay off and stick to the .223 unless you want to go under the knife.

 

[labman]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

lay off and rehab, the constant pounding from recoil will worsen your shoulder no matter where you align your stock. The pain will increase your trigger flinch, the last thing you want to develop. It's tough to shoot in pain, and worse to overcome the body's repsonse that pain via recoil is coming when th etrigger is pulled. imho, dry fire would do more good than transitioning to the .223

 

[KHOOKS]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

Break out the 22lr to shoot. Do what ever the Dr. tells you to do or not to do. Let him/her know what you plan on doing with that shoulder and see what he thinks. Maybe get out of the prone position for a while. I tore up my left shoulder and it's still in bad shape after surgey. I need to get it redone again. The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body so it's got the making of giving you troblem from the get go. Get onto rehab if your insurance will cover it ( talk to the Dr. about it). I would also look into a well known sports medicine Ortho. Dr. if I need surgey and tell them you are highly active with your arms/upper body so they well know you plan on abusing there work and they will take the extra steps to get you the better rehab.

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: stillbuster</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
When shooting PRONE where do you place the top of the recoil pad? Picture (A) deep in the pocket UNDER the collar bone OR Picture (B) in the pocket slightly ON TOP of the collar bone?

I tore a muscle or rather where a muscle connects in my shoulder while working out.
I have been getting injections and the Dr. said a minimum of 6 weeks to heal or surgery. He said it is the connection point that runs in a trough on the front part of the longbone of the arm closest to my shoudler.
I have laid off of it for 3 weeks and haven't shot anything larger than a .223 until today. My shoulder felt great and I had planned on starting to do some light bodwyweight workouts starting Monday.
I had some free time today and thought my shoulder was good enough to shoot my .308 WRONG!
I felt it on the first round, which brings me to the reason of my post, am I shouldering my rifle to low? I shoulder as in picture A.</div></div>

Add a fore-end rail to your rifle and place a handstop in it. Then, using a loop sling attached to handstop, the non-firing hand will take up a whole lot of recoil to make the prone experience less painful.

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

Switch shoulders until the correct one heals. I'm more in position B, right in the pocket.

 

[dragonlvg]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

for me with similar issues the only final i found that worked was the wearable recoil shield from PAST i tried it as a last ditch due to being VERY recoil sensitive from a surgery several years ago, relocated a tendon and some nerves made shooting painfull even an AR was not real fun anymore, teh field recoil shield is fairly thin and doesnt change LOP by a noticable amount but covers a small section of shoulder the mag plus shield is thicker but covers more of the collarbone and may work well for you, (results may vary) in the meantime lay off the centerfires completely for a while and let the Doc Do his Job when You are cleared for full activity then pick it up again. Good luck in your recovery
Kevin

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

Several strategies can be employed to reduce felt recoil.

You can take a break from shooting, but if you wanted to do that, you wouldn't be posting this question.

You can seize the opportunity to review the basics with a .22LR; turning the disadvantage into a windfall.

A Limbsaver slip-on butt pad, they are more effective than they look, especially since they spread the force over a wider area. They also increase LOP, usually by 1".

A PAST-like shield, often just a folded bath towel can be enough, and secured with and Ace bandage, or Elastoplast.

Increase the rifle's mass, either with ballast, or by interposing a bag of sand or shot between the shoulder and buttpad. This also increases LOP, by the thickness of the bag.

Greg

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

Like the guys say...do as the doctor says and don't push it.

I've used this to "tame" a couple of my milsurps when I get fed up of being kicked by a metal butt plate:

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=23169/Product/BOB_ALLEN_ABSORB_A_COIL_HARNESS

It has a suede covered 1/2" or so rubber pad...can be worn over or under a shirt/jacket. Fully adjustable - always in my range bag.

Even when I have shot a few rounds without it and my shoulder is getting past it's best, I slip this on and go again, no pain, reduced recoil.

Heal up soon!

 

[JCummings]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

I'd back off for at least 3 more weeks. The riskiest time is from the 3rd through the 6th week. By the 3rd week you feel well enough to start doing things you shouldn't and the tissue is not healed yet. A reinjury during this period is often much worse than the first injury because the tissues are still weak. That is why you were told to give it 6 weeks in the first place.

 

[j-huskey]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

I had an injury and shoulder surgery recently. I was told by two doctors and a couple of therapists that between 6-8 weeks the scar tissue is at it's zenith and this is when you need to be doing range of motion exercises to break the scar tissue and not doing any hard work out for strength.

Having been injured in therapy, yes, a torn muscle because the therapist got careless, I got a nice education on the finer points of these issues.

Range of motion exercises should be done from the day you get out of the cast/bandages/stitches, but without any weights.

After 8 weeks, full tilt therapy and strength work outs.

Before that, the rifle beating up the shoulder is not a good idea. Believe it, I found out the hard way.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

I have been through two complete sequences of physical therapy following a broken humerus and shoulder injury. I was told that my shoulder was essentially irreparably injured, and that surgery could only reduce pain, and not improve my range of motion. The reasons had to do with improper initial diagnosis and subsequent professional neglect of my condition for several months following the initial injury.

The therapy was given to increase range of motion, and involved heat as much as extension. Numerous exercises were taught as well as providing a hand-pulley aparatus to perform them. After the therapy a six-month followup determined that I had made unexpectedly better progress and that a second round of therapy could provide additional benefit. It did.

My injury was to the left shoulder, so recoil was less of an issue than shooting positions. To this day, three years later, I am still unable to employ a service rifle sling in its intended mode, mainly because the shoulder fails to rotate sufficient to allow the elbow to swing directly under the rifle. I continue to work on it, but additional progress is becoming very hard to achieve nowadays.

Make certain your diagnosis and therapy regimen are correct, and then do exactly what your doctors tell you to do. Joint injuries are significantly underrated.

Greg

 

[stillbuster]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCummings</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'd back off for at least 3 more weeks. The riskiest time is from the 3rd through the 6th week. By the 3rd week you feel well enough to start doing things you shouldn't and the tissue is not healed yet. A reinjury during this period is often much worse than the first injury because the tissues are still weak. That is why you were told to give it 6 weeks in the first place. </div></div>

That is what I did. I felt good and thought all was well.
Thanks for all of the input, being stubborn hurts, especially when it causes you to have to stop doing something that you really enjoy.
I ordered an Evoshield sports shirt from Cabelas you can see more info about them here:
http://www.allsportsarmour.com/default.asp
I believe this has to work simply by dispersing the area over which the recoil is absorbed.
I also think that I need to get the top of the recoil pad a little higher up even if it is on or slighltly over the collar bone.
I will be going to the Gastonia Sniper competition in Sept. I can only hope dry fire up to the start day will serve as well as real trigger time.
Thanks to all.

 

[flyboy]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

Or shoot with the other hand. Always good practice and now your really have an excuse.

 

[hypertex]

Re: Shooters shoulder (PAIN!) Help!!!!!

Don't wish to dissuade you from resting the injured shoulder, but this may also help: I received a pad made by Evoshield and it does work, a bit less bulky than the PAST. A shirt comes with a pad that forms to your physique and rifle in about 10 minutes. Just a thought...