Archery is regularly ranked among the safest sports by numerous insurance organizations and consumer safety firms and the National Safety Council. However, injuries are feasible and it’s important to be aware of how to prevent common archery injuries and to stay secure.
Are there any commonly reported archery-related injuries? Aches and injuries to shoulders wrists, arms, and wrists are among the most frequent, with the muscles of the draw arm most susceptible to injuries.
The majority of these injuries are due to inadequate technique or use and may be exacerbated due to not providing muscles with adequate rest or recovery time. This is why it’s so crucial to work the archery muscle.
One FANTASTIC tool to use for this purpose could be one of the best tools for this is Dry Fire Pro Archery Shot Trainer. It is possible to adjust the weight for training between 15lbs to 60lbs!
Here is a quick checklist of 10 most commonly reported Archery-related Injuries:
- Rotator Cuff Strain
- Tendonitis
- String Slap
- Breast Bruising
- Finger Blisters
- Hand punctures, cuts, or tears
- Repetitive Strain Injury
- Impingement Syndrome
- Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder)
- Bone Spurs
The archery sport is much safer than the other popular field sports, where players are at risk of falling or colliding as archery is classified with games like badminton handball, and bowling in terms of the potential for injuries.
Disclaimer Before we start take note that we on TheHuntingSite are not medical experts. The information presented here is based upon our own experiences and research, and should not be considered medical advice. It is recommended to consult your doctor if injured while playing any type of sport.
Now, let’s take an overview of the most frequent accidents and tips to keep secure.
- ROTATOR CUFF STAIN
The rotator cuff muscle is a group of muscles that surrounds the shoulder joint. They also stabilize the shoulder.
For archers, each when that you take your bow you exert stress on the rotator the cuff. Instinctively, the body will want to pull the bow using the shoulder, but our shoulders aren’t built to handle that type of load-bearing repeatedly. Ailments to this muscle usually result from repetitive strain and poor shooting technique.
It could be a sign of:
- Dull pain in the shoulder
- Limited motion range
- Unrestful sleep, especially when you rest on your injured shoulder
- Arm weakness
Prevention
You can avoid injury and strain to the rotator cuff muscles by practicing correct posture. There are many different archery stances which means you can pick which one you feel comfortable in, but you should ensure your stance can allow the larger back muscles to support with the arm’s smaller and Rotator Cuff muscles while drawing the bow.
The art of archery can be physically demanding and a lot of practice can cause injuries due to excessive use. If you feel any discomfort while drawing your bow, the best thing you can do is to allow your muscles to rest.
If the pain persists then you can look into a bow with less draw weight. By reducing the weight by even 1 lb can make it easier to drawback.
TENDONITISTendonitis is an inflammation of the tendon. It can happen to any of your tendons archers are typically affected by it in their elbows, shoulders, and/or wrists. Tendonitis at the elbow has become so prevalent when it comes to archery that the problem is sometimes referred to as “Archer’s elbow”.
Making a full draw puts an enormous amount of strain on your elbows. Most often, you’ll feel discomfort on the outside of your elbow after shooting, and the pain will get worse when you straighten your arms and stretch your muscles.
The symptoms could include:
- Pain in the elbow that is sharp
- A dull ache is felt when you move the area that has been injured.
- Tenderness
- Mild swelling
Prevention
The draw weight of your bow along with proper form and technique are major factors in the elbow injury.
Make sure that your bow has the right draw weight to match your strength and level of skill.
Intensify the shoulders and the scapular muscle. Instability in muscles is a major contributor to the archer’s Elbow. The injury happens when your wrists and elbows aren’t strong enough to endure the tough repetitive motions that are imposed on them during shooting.
- STRING SLAP
Armguards save a lot of pain!
The injury is meant for those who are part of the field of archery and if you’re an archer, you’ve surely gained one of these products. A string slap injury can result when you shoot and the bowstring snaps into the forearm while shooting.
It could be a sign of:
- Pain, tenderness
- Wounds, bruises
- Swelling
Prevention
Make sure you have an armguard! The most effective way to avoid string slap is to wear an armguard. I can assure you that my armguard has saved me from injury numerous times.
Maintain a loose grasp on the bow be aware that an unnatural grip is not mandatory. Over-grazing your bow could force your wrist in the path of the bowstring.
Make sure you are in a good posture. A proper elbow rotation and a broad stance and a straight, upright posture when shooting will assist you in avoiding string slaps.
Beware of fatigue. Poor posture can lead to fatigue and, as I’ve just mentioned, poor posture can lead to injuries to your string.
The way you stand and your technique aren’t necessarily the cause, however, you could be using a bow that has draw weight that is too heavy. You could either choose an easier bow or work the muscles of the upper part of your body.
- BREAST BRUISES
It’s essentially an injury caused by a string that hits the breast. It is also one of the reasons why the mythical Amazons were believed to have removed one to facilitate archery. There is no need to take these kinds of drastic precautions! Simply altering your shape to take into account your assets and wearing the right clothes will do wonders in preventing your body from a painful injury.
It happens by the bowstring is pulled against the chest while shooting.
The symptoms could include:
- Pain, tenderness
- Wounds, bruises
- Swelling
Prevention
Avoidance comes back to proper technique and stance. Your posture must give the bowstring enough room when you release it.
Additionally, choosing an athletic bra that protects your ladies is a smart choice. Choose a bra that has the perfect fit to provide maximum support for your sport. Avoid bulky, loose-fitting clothes and opt for something that is snug which won’t get caught by the string when released.
- BLISTERS SIT ON THE FINGERS
The fingertips may get blisters. They appear when the skin has been damaged due to friction or rub with the bowstring.
The reason for this is an excessive amount of contact between your fingers as well as the bowstring when you release it. The elevation of the elbow of your drawing arm too much can make the index hand catch further and hang on to the string for a bit longer than your point at release.
It could be a sign of:
- Blisters
- Pain, tenderness
Prevention
Do not use excessive tension on your fingers when you are hooking the bowstring. Make sure you’re shooting using your fingers in the right spot along the string.
If your fingers aren’t fully formed callouses, and you’re experiencing discomfort and tenderness in your fingers, set gloves archery-specific gloves could be worth a purchase because they ensure your fingers are protected during shooting.
- Hand LACERATIONS, PUNCTURES, or TEARS
The most frequent injuries that occur that aren’t the result of excessive use are punctures, lacerations, or tears in the hand. The improper handling of broadheads arrows is a major source of these injuries.
Bowhunters need to ensure that their arrows are sharp and this could increase the risk of injury if appropriate precautions aren’t followed. When loading or unloading equipment into vehicles is where the majority of arrow injuries occur. Arrows that are damaged or too short increase the risk of injuries.
It could be a sign of:
- The hands are swollen, punctured, or ripped. to the hands
- Pain, tenderness
- Wounds, bruises
- Swelling
Prevention
Make sure you are practicing the correct use of your arrows. There are a variety of educational and training classes available to teach you how to be safe when working with the tools you have.
Utilize the broadhead wrench. Any slip in using a broadhead with its cover off could cause a severe cut. The device is designed to cover the blades as the broadhead is secured onto an arrow. This will shield your hands from injuries.
Consider investing in an arrow quiver with a cover. This type of quiver can ensure that you are protected as well as your arrows from injury or injury.
Additionally, you should exercise a large amount of caution when dressing bow-killed game, as the broadhead could still be within the animal.
- REPETITIVE STRAIN INSURANCE
As the name implies, a repetitive injury (RSI) is the term used to describe the injury to your muscles, nerves, or muscles caused by repetitive motions and/or overuse.
Engaging in repetitive actions, like archery, could put tension on muscles, and as the stress is put on the muscles, they become unable to bear the weight.
At first, you might only feel a symptom while taking a specific task. But, if you do not seek treatment, your symptoms could develop into a long-lasting injury. This could lead to constant or extended periods of pain and would also extend the amount of time required to recover.
Archers are more likely to develop RSI within their forearms as well as wrists, elbows, and hands, as well as the neck and shoulders.
It could be a sign of:
- Tenderness, Pain, or Aches
- Stiffness, Throbbing
- Numbness or Tingling
- Weakness
- Cramping
Prevention
Pause regularly. Doing repetitive or lengthy tasks for a long duration without taking a break is precisely what causes injuries from repetitive strain! Make time during your practice for short, frequent breaks.
- SHOULDER IMPINGEMENT SYNDROME
Impingement syndrome is the result of the compression of the tendons and bursae of the rotator-cuff between the bones. The condition is common and causes discomfort within the shoulder joint especially when you move your arm over your head.
Overhead activities that involve the shoulders, specifically repetitive exercise could make you at risk of shoulder impingement syndrome.
As time passes impingement syndrome may result in inflammation of the rotator cuff or bursa which can result in bursitis or tendonitis or both.
It could be a sign of:
- The pain is caused by over-the-head activities (arms overhead)
- Sleeping at night, discomfort while asleep
- Itching on the shoulder’s the outside or upper arm
- A limited range of movement
Prevention
The most common reason for shoulder impingement is taking too much on too fast. When you first begin archery or return from an extensive break gradually return to it by completing a short “introduction phase’.
Aside from that, bad technique and posture can cause shoulder impingement. Incorrect posture and form can cause poor shoulder movements that could cause inflammation. Keep your chest and shoulders open. back and your shoulder blades in a stable position while shooting.
Keep unavoidable inflammation under control. One good habit to get into is to apply ice on your shoulder for around 20 minutes following a practice.
- CAPSULITIS ADHESIVE (FROZEN SHOULDER)
Adhesive Capsulitis is an illness that is characterized by discomfort and stiffness in the shoulder joint. The chance of getting a frozen shoulder can be increased if you are recovering from an operation or condition that restricts motion within your arms. The typical course of development is gradual and can be divided into three stages. The shoulder is usually frozen. appear and disappear within a period of one up to 3 years.
The stages that are associated with frozen shoulder consist of:
- Freezing Stage Your range of motion is limited and shoulder movement results in pain.
- The stage that is frozen The pain begins to ease however the shoulder gets more stiff and difficult to move
- The stage of thawing: The improvement in the range of motion starts
Prevention
Simple exercises that are regularly performed could help prevent, and even reverse muscle stiffness and pain in your shoulder. Physical therapy, when started immediately following a shoulder injury when shoulder movement becomes difficult or painful, may aid with the treatment of frozen shoulders.
Some helpful stretches include The pendulum Stretch as well as the towel Stretch.
The stretch of the pendulum is: In a relaxed, standing position, move toward the front with the hands of the arm not affected on the table. Let the arm affected be lowered and move in small circles. The diameter of your circles once you gain mobility and strength.
Stretching the towel: Hold the ends of the towel in front of you. While using your healthy arm move the towel, as well as the arm that is affected towards the shoulder. Repeat each day 10 to 20 times.
- BONE SPURS
Bone spurs are small pointed spurs of bone that form in time. These growths are typically found in regions in the body where injury or inflammation may have occurred previously.
In most cases bone spurs can occur as part of aging, however, tendonitis, inflammation, or any stress that is significant on the shoulder joints may result in the formation of bone spurs.
The majority of archers have bone spurs on their shoulders and necks due to the stress placed on this region.
It’s possible to develop bone spurs but you may not be conscious of they exist. The bone spur itself does not cause pain, but the discomfort is caused by slight and moderate compression of the nerve caused by the spur.
It could be a sign of:
- Pain
- Tingling and numbness
- Muscle weakness
Prevention
Pause frequently while shooting to minimize the strain that repetitive shooting puts on your body.
Reduce inflammation using anti-inflammatories as well as Ice. Take the time necessary to heal following injury.
Treatment
If you shoot archery for recreation, sport, or hunting there is a similar risk of sustaining an injury.
The earlier you seek treatment when symptoms start to manifest is crucial to stop the injury from turning into an ongoing injury. A proper treatment will not only aid in managing your symptoms but will assist in strengthening the area of injury that will prevent repeat injuries.
The most popular treatments for these archery-related common injuries are:
- Massage/Soft Tissue Massage
- Acupuncture
- The Cold Therapy (ice pack applications)
- “Hot therapy” (hot pack applications)
- Rehabilitation Services
- Exercises for Strengthening Muscles
- Exercises to increase range of motion
Early treatment will aid the healing process and help you get back to archery quicker and at the best possible functionality.
Staying Secure
Practice good archery form to minimize injuries.
Prevention is always the most effective treatment Be proactive and work to avoid injuries.
Keep in mind that even though archery may require a significant amount of cardiovascular fitness, however, it requires an enormous amount of muscular endurance. The endurance and strength and a solid core, are the most important factors to control power, speed, and stability.
Doing stretches and exercises before as well after practice can be an excellent method to warm up and prepare muscles to prepare for the physically demanding game of archery.
Be aware of your body. Knowing the time when your body requires some rest is essential in the process of healing. If you continue to push your body too over the top and not allow your muscles to heal can result in a slight cause of inflammation becoming an injury.
Always ensure you are using the appropriate safety gear and equipment make sure you check the bow as well as arrows to see if there are signs of wear or damage before each use.
As you will see, reducing your risk of injury could be reduced to good training, the right recovery, and using the right equipment.
Keep these points in mind and you’ll enjoy years of injury-free and safe archery.
Similar Questions
What Muscles Are Utilized in Archery?
It is essential to build and strengthen the muscles that are required for the movements that are required for any activity. So, it is crucial to understand which muscles these are.
The primary muscles utilized for archery are the arm back, chest, and shoulders. In particular:
- rhomboids,
- Scapulae levator,
- trapezius,
- deltoids,
- latissimus dorsi
- supraspinatus,
- infraspinatus and lastly
- Teres minor
How do I train to train for Archery?
The bow you draw and hold are two specific actions that use your muscles in different ways that are different from daily use or the way you could work your muscles at the gym.
It is a fact that it is beneficial to build your strength of the upper body. Perform exercises such as pull-downs with lats on the machine, pull-ups, and chin-up bars, bent-over rowing, or shrugs using heavyweights.
However, shooting your bow is still the best for strengthening the archery muscle. You can simply practice the drawing motion by using some effort to strengthen the upper back muscles.
