Injuries from training to watch out for?

[MilkMyDuds]

I am relatively new to the practical shooting sport. However, I have already been hearing a lot about "Tennis Elbow", "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" and tendinitis in other locations (wrist, shoulder, etc.)

Coming from long distance running where ITBS and other injuries are so common among many new runners, I know how devastating these injuries can be, to the extent many runners give up the sport all together. I suspect it is the same in the shooting sport. It is always the new players who get injured most easily, often due to the initial passion and over-training combined with the lack of scientific training methods.

I am sure age and background play important roles here. Young athletes coming from other sports into practical shooting are much less likely to get injured, while older and more inactive folks may find them hitting injuries much more sooner and harder in their progression. However, I do believe even the younger and active crowds are susceptible to these injuries if they have not previously strengthened or prepared particular muscle/tendon groups used extensively in shooting.

Thus I seek the wisdom of experienced shooters here: What are the most common injuries resulted from over training, e.g. dry-firing, live-firing and even reloading? How do you prevent them? Are there daily exercises/stretches you do to strengthen or massage critical tendons/muscles for shooting?

With little to no medical expertise, I can think of these areas prone to over-training injuries:

1. Finger tendons - gripping
2. Wrist joints - drawing, reloading and recoil control
3. Elbow tendons and joints - griping and recoil control
4. Shoulder tendons and joints - drawing, reloading and recoil control
5. Knee joints - entry/exit/movements

Thanks in advance for your inputs.

[Nimitz]

as someone who had been live fire training 3x/week and dryfire 5x/week and who has not been able to do anything related to shooting since my shooting-related wrist surgery for torn cartilage on 16 April (and won't be able to shoot for another month), you'd probably expect me to provide this elaborate discussion about preventing injury .... but you'd be wrong ....

if you are in reasonable shape and are a normally active person I'm not sure you should be worrying too much about this. I guess if you plan to dryfire 3-4 hrs/day, 7 days a week plus live fire 500 rds every other day you might want to worry about injuries but otherwise, doing the normal kinds of things you should do based on your age before any physical exercise should be plenty.

Practical shooting does not involve the extremes of physical exerction like say training for marathons or long distance cycling, etc ....

Edited July 8, 2015 by Nimitz

[Jake Di Vita]

As far as prevention and rehabilitation goes:

mobilitywod.com or kelly starrett's youtube channel.

Edited July 8, 2015 by Jake Di Vita

[motosapiens]

Alot of people have issues with elbow tendinitis when they start dryfiring seriously (at least if they are gripping the gun hard). I have found that some simple exercises help that tremendously.

https://www.absolutept.com/shooters-elbow/

[tha1000]

Tendonitis/tendonosis has plagued me ever since I hit my mid 30's... I've never aggravated it shooting or dryfiring, but when I do get a flare up (generally from lifting weights or BJJ), it certainly makes shooting unpleasant. I've got one of the bands that seems to help when it flares up. I also dropped the BJJ, more so for lack of time due to the birth of my son than anything, but my elbows haven't bothered me since.

Bench press and power cleans seem to be the biggest culprits in causing a flare up for me.

[racingjoe27]

Bench press and power cleans seem to be the biggest culprits in causing a flare up for me.

Yep, I tore a meniscus warming up for some cleans, now they scare me.

I agree with doing some mobility work. It will rinse clean fluid through your body to help clean up dirty and sticky areas. It will help keep everything healthy so you shouldn't worry too much about shooting induced injuries

[bkfranklin22]

tennis elbow

[38supPat]

Bullet holes? Lol

[Jadeslade]

Frozen shoulder from practicing draws with a loaded gun. Probably stick to less than 100 day if you're under 40. Less than 50 a day if older. Until you get the draw and speed you want. Which may take a year. If you're over 40 you will definitely want to have a massage therapist, a chiropractor that you know and trust and see often. And some type of stretching or yoga program that you do regularly. Never seen brute strength be an advantage in shooting. Good luck. DVC

Edited July 26, 2015 by Jadeslade

[Sturdy]

I see a lot of people at risk for heart disease.

[peterthefish]

I see a lot of people at risk for heart disease.

I lol'd.

[biglou13]

repetitive stress injuries!!!!!!

it could be anything........

break up movments

with breaks

with different movments

break up repition frequent repitions

instead of 50 moves of anything

DO 10 -15 then change drill.

10 reps holster to shot dry fire drill surrender position

10 back to target

10 transitions to low port , dry fire

10 kettle bell swings

10 sit ups

10 draw transition to weak hand , dry fire

10 right hand only dry fire

5 box drills

5 forward windmills, 5 backwards , 5 atlas stretch each leg, 10 air squats, 10 reps r/l hand exerciser, shoulder mobilty exercises (google band/brrom stick shoulder mobilty), wrist mobilty exercise/stretch.....

go pet the cats, spend 5 minutes on face book laod 20 rounds .........later rinse repeat... be creative have fun

do you get the idea? there is alot science behind but its also as easy as changing it up

always try and maintain good, and neutral body mechanics as often as possible, check your posture frequently, activate core.

thing is break up mutiple any repetive action but try and break it up movment to be as dissimmilar as possible

learn how to roll/myofascia self release/ use a theracane trade hand massages with partner

if it hurts stop

scale movments to ability

if youy have previous injuries consult a professional before.....

Edited July 27, 2015 by biglou13

[Bigbadaboom]

Frozen shoulder from practicing draws with a loaded gun. Probably stick to less than 100 day if you're under 40. Less than 50 a day if older. Until you get the draw and speed you want. Which may take a year. If you're over 40 you will definitely want to have a massage therapist, a chiropractor that you know and trust and see often. And some type of stretching or yoga program that you do regularly. Never seen brute strength be an advantage in shooting. Good luck. DVC

Best advice. I second the therapist/chiropractor and stretching is the #1 injury prevention used by athletes.