Any high volume shooters develop rotator cuff problems?

I don’t shoot much but have spurs that cause tendon separations. Had two repairs on each shoulder by age 65. Shot a 100 rounds recently and shooting shoulder began giving problems a week later.

Guess I should switch to a 20 or 28 semiauto.

Yup after too much recoil from too many rounds fired I had to have the surgery on the right shoulder. I think I need it on the left as well but that isn't from shooting. I had many long years ago gone to mostly the 28 for my skeet shooting and then changed from that to the .410 before I finally had to give it up as I can't stand long enough to shoot a round anymore.

I had a complete rotator cuff tear in my right shoulder and a partial tear in my left shoulder. I was a hand finisher in a Aero-Space machine shop.

I ended up as a OTR truck driver after some improvement in my shoulders then in 1999 I retired from that.
I can not shoot any rifle with more recoil than a 708 Remington without considerable pain so shotguns are out except maybe a 410. Fortunately I don't have a problem with handguns.
Although my preferences are flare launchers, cannons and mortars when I go shooting.

OTR would be hard. Hurts me to extend my arms to the steering wheel. The bottom of the auto wheel is not so bad with seat moved up a little.

After my shoulder surgery, the Dr. told me that usually pitchers and quarterbacks actually tear the cuff, the rest of us have what is called chronic impingement caused by arthritis, ie, spurs and such.

Might give thought to those gell packs that go in pockets of good shooting jackets.
I would also look into a really good recoil pad on the shot gun even a 28 or 410.

Al

I have partial tears in both shoulders I believe from being machinist working in heavy industry. To make matters worse, one shoulder has an impingement as well as un-repairable cartilage damage in the shoulder joint. Doctors suggested I have surgery to repair the partial tears and impingement. I declined the surgery. What I did was start taking Glucosamine w/Chondroitin (not sure of the spelling). The bottle suggested 2 pills a day, I took one. In about 7-10 days there was remarkable improvement. I continued taking for about a month and was surprised at the improvement.

I started thinking this improvement must be in my head and stopped taking the pills. After about 4 or 5 days the pain was back. I started up the pills again and a week later the pain was gone. That was 25+ years ago. I still take one a day at breakfast. I will say I'm pretty much pain free and have full range of motion with both arms. I retired 11 yrs. ago and believe not doing heavy machinist work had to help but the pills (which are said to be " shark cartilage ") are supposed to be a joint lubricant and work for me. They are expensive and available at Walmart.

I get a pain every now and then but I'm sure it's from overdoing it out in the woods but isn't that what old guys do??? It works very well for me, my wife takes it as well and it has helped her a lot also. If you are going to try it you have to be sure to take for at least 3 weeks or a month religiously . It may not work for you. Your mileage may vary...

Shooting heavy calibers or shotguns is a non-issue. One last thing for the rotator cuff problem. Try not to put your elbows behind your back if you can help it...

Had four rotator surgeries. All four were tendons that we completely separated. Every time the surgeon removed some bone from the end of my shoulder to reduce the impingement. I think spurs from arthritis have caused my problems.

Seeing ortho surgeon tomorrow.

Just got MRI results. Bulging disc in neck and pinched nerve. Hummmm.

Next time you dress the deer, save the windpipe, it is the stuff we are trying to get what we buy glucosamine (sp?), from what I hear, big cattle slaughtering operations west of here save them to sell to the supplement makers.