Might be time to get some work done…

Bob Rankin

Bob Rankin

Wandering the country with rifle and spey rod.
I’ve spent the last few weeks in a float tube on some local lakes. Let me just say that after a few hours of kicking around and casting my shoulder is toast. I do love this time of year spent in lakes, but dang….! I’m thinking it may be time to get this looked at. Or I just stick to trout spey on local rivers and give up lake game.

Anyone else experiencing this?
 
Several years ago I had surgery on my right shoulder, I'm right handed and I worried about my casting much less rowing my drift boat. The day Doc says ok to take off the sling I went to celebrate and tripped on a curb (sobser) and landed on that shoulder. Back to xray and mri but no damage. Lucky. Then I went thru weeks of therapy with rebound and now can row the boat and cast all day. From my pontoon too. So my advice is to have it looked at and get it fixed. You might miss some time on the water in recovery but I think you'll be happier in the long run. Good luck.
 
Bob, at 56.9 years old, I've been having right shoulder pain for about a year now. I find that putting down the single hand rod and sticking to the spey rod for a month or so helps. But, like you, I know that at some point, some work is going to need to be done. At this point it's a matter of priority. Do I get the knee replaced that we already know needs it or deal with the shoulder? For now, think I'm going to ignore both!
 
Had knee, shoulder and back surgeries.
After each one I wondered why I didn't do I earlier.
It doesn't get better on its own after 50.
You don't heal faster after surgery when you're 60.
YMMV
 
Usually shoulders come down to one of two issues - bone spurs in the joint, and/or tears in the rotator cuff tendons.
A simple shoulder X-ray will do much to reveal if any bone spur issues, which will fray the rotator tendons over time
The rotator cuff test is simple - hold your arm horizontal, splitting the distance between front and side (45 degrees), rotate your hand so the thumb is straight down, than slowly lift your arm as high as you can keeping the arm straight....if it hurts in the shoulder, rotator cuff issue..
To strengthen those shouldes Google Thera-Band excercises for shoulders and rotator cuffs, will make a huge difference in shoulder strength.
V slides will reduce pain and increase flex...face the wall about a foot from it - make a blade of your hands and place them against the wall about a foot apart at shoulder height, thumbs toward you - slowly glide your hands up the wall to where you finish fully extended with hands at shoulder width - slowly slide back, and repeat.
Have spent over two years in shoulder rehab after both accident and wear and tear repairs, pins in both, been there ad nauseum

and if the shoulder hurts SH casting, keep your elbow down and hand no higher than your ear...it unloads the shoulder significantly. Buddy has a bad shoulder, he float tubes with a 4 wt switch rod, bottom hand does the work, top hand always below his shoulders...which is how I swing for King's in tidewater
 
Bob Rankin said:
Well… it sounds like I should do what my wife has been telling me to do.
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It only gets worse, it only takes longer to recover, it only costs more.
Do any physical therapy religiously as directed, do not think for a moment that it isn't the most important part of the process...it is.
I had pretty major shoulder surgery, multiple avulsion fractures and all sorts of tears.
5 months of recovery, PT made it better than my other shoulder.
Good luck...
 
If you complain about your shoulder enough to your wife, you'll get it fixed faster....
;)

Just sayin'....
DAMHIK...
 
Maybe a stupid idea but why not learn lefty? It'd be like a whole new ball game to keep you interested, plus you'd have a new excuse for lost fish (y)
 
Try fishing out of a smaller pontoon boat. Gets you up out of the water and gets you higher up making it easier to cast. I completely understand the use and ease of the float tube and the ability to launch anywhere but I do the same thing with my pontoon now and my tube gets hardly any use because of what you were asking about
 
I have significant rotator cuff issues in my right shoulder. I have found keeping my elbow tight to my body while casting makes me a better caster, and helps me cast all day, whether it be single or 2 hand. Raising my elbows for some drift isn't an issue either, as long as my elbow stays in plane. Learning how to cast with me left hand has also been a plus for a lot of reasons too.
 
NukeLDO said:
Bob, at 56.9 years old, I've been having right shoulder pain for about a year now. I find that putting down the single hand rod and sticking to the spey rod for a month or so helps. But, like you, I know that at some point, some work is going to need to be done. At this point it's a matter of priority. Do I get the knee replaced that we already know needs it or deal with the shoulder? For now, think I'm going to ignore both!
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Just a couple comments. I was 70 when I had my surgery, rotator cuff repair and reattached a bicep tendon. When I started the therapy I was asked what my goal was and I answered to be able to row my drift boat in strenuous situations. I accomplished that (at the pub I would tell everyone I was seeing a therapist ha ha) So you're young yet and should take care of stuff now. I also saw a comment on being a lefty which misses the fact that you use your right arm for a lot of other activities than casting a fly rod. 3 weeks before the operation I started practicing using my left arm for other personal hygienic needs. Again good luck on whatever you decide. I am now 80 and still rowing the boat but only on easy waters and friends are starting to not trust me anymore. But I'm glad I took care of the problem when I did.
 
I’ve had adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) in both shoulders a year apart. P/T helped but the Mrs. is a massage therapist and she helped much more. An LMT can help with any adhesions post surgery.
 
Thanks for the input all. I’ve known I’ve needed to do it for a few years, but keep dragging my feet. I think the only thing that really gets it worked up is casting a single hander. I’ll be making some appointments soon.
 
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