I had surgery on my shoulder a couple of days ago. Unfortunately this is my shooting shoulder. There are eight stitches in the hollow of the shoulder right where the buttsock fits. My question is do you think a light recoiling rifle like a 22-250 would break the stitches? After all the surgeon didn't say I couldn't shoot high powered rifles and I certainly wasn't stupid enough to ask.

I had rotator cuff surgery to repair a tear on April 8 of this year. My doctor asked me before the surgery if I would refrain from shooting anything with ANY recoil for four months. This seems a bit conservative, but I will stick to my word. I still went on a bear hunt I had planned, since I didn't want to waste the deposit, but took only a camera with me.



It seems sort of dumb to spend all that money on surgery and then take a chance on messing it up. You say you weren't stupid enough to ask whether or not you should shoot high powered rifles. Don't be stupid enough to do it without asking. Ask your doctor before doing it. JMHO.

Shoot from your other shoulder!!!

Why would you ask for opinions from strangers on the internet but not do the same with your doctor? It seems you are asking permission from us to do what you know you shouldn't.

Jeff

That's like saying your surgeon didn't say not to play LaCrosse. How would he know?

You should have asked. He probably doesn't know the forces involved in the recoil of the rifle in question so you should have those figures available for him.

You could also use a P.A.S.T. shoulder pad to mitigate the effects of recoil.

How's this for an answer: I'm a doctor, and I wouldn't do it. Mess up your rotator cuff repair, or tear open your stitches and get the wound badly infected, and you may never shoot again with that arm.

Todd

Todd,
You doctors are such spoil sports:-)

Jeff

I spent my days (many of them) in Orthopedic Surgery...I think you already know the answer...NO! It needs to remain clean, sterile, and rested and relaxed to heal.
As Todd said, it is not risk the chance of infection not to mention the fact that you might tear out all of the internal work that was done leaving you in Far worse shape than you were before surgery.
CALL your Doctor and ask for guidence on the do's and Don'ts. Your Surgeon, and only him knows what he did inside you. You trusted him enough to let him operate, trust him enough to be honest with him and sit down and discuss your desired activities, and come up with a return to activities schedule that is realistic and wise.

Hans

I hate to say this, but I think a box or rocks could answer this question. Thinking like this how did you ever earn enough money to buy a computer.

Ouch! That last answer hurt and I did not even have surgery!
Box of rocks huh?

Get a pistol

I have to agree with Todd paticularly as the shoulder is can be slow to heal. If you get wound breakdown you will be stopped from shooting for a long time . Ask about shooting after removal of the stitches.
Mark

At times I feel that I am dumber than a box of rocks, but I still came to the same conclusion.