Why Does My Neck Hurt After Archery?

Introduction

Neck pain after archery can be caused by various reasons and, more often than not, can be an easy fix. 

Neck pain from muscle tightness after archery is commonly described as a deep, dull and achy sensation. These individuals often report muscle tightness or knots along the upper neck and shoulder, or just inside the shoulder blade, after shooting a high volume of arrows. 

Headaches that originate at the base of the skull and neck stiffness can be secondary to muscle tightness in the neck.

In this article I highlight a few stretches that can alleviate neck muscle tightness.

In more severe cases, neck pain can radiate into the shoulder and/or cause numbness and tingling into the shoulder and arm. This pain can be a little more tricky to tackle but is definitely something that can improve with targeted exercise and specific stretches. 

In this blog post I will identify the primary reasons that cause neck pain after archery AND recommend products that can help alleviate neck pain!

Top 7 Causes of Neck Pain After Archery

Neck pain after archery can arise from various factors. If left untreated, the ongoing stress on these areas can intensify, potentially impairing your ability to shoot a bow. 

Working regular strength and mobility exercises into a daily routine can help reduce the risk of developing neck pain after archery. Filming and analyzing draw technique can also help identify any flaws that may contribute to increased pain.

I have created other blog posts that include exercises and stretches to help reduce neck pain after archery, which you may find helpful. 

For now, let’s take a look at the top 7 causes of neck pain after archery.

1. Upper Trap Muscle Tightness

Drawing a bow with bad archery form can lead to elevated shoulders, causing tightness and increased stress along the upper trapezius muscle. Muscle tightness or knots can be felt by placing the hand on top of the shoulder and squeezing the muscle. If your upper trap is tight, this squeezing can reproduce your symptoms and be quite uncomfortable. 

The upper trapezius muscle starts at the base of the skull and attaches to the tip of the shoulder blade. The muscle is responsible for elevating and upwardly rotating the shoulder blade, as well as tilting the head and neck to the side. Upper trap muscle tightness can cause cervicogenic headaches, neck pain, or shoulder pain in archers. 

It is important to take a step back and evaluate body positions throughout normal daily life, especially with work-related tasks. Individuals with jobs that require sitting at a computer desk, talking on the phone, or manual labor jobs that require repetitive use of the arms can develop upper trap muscle tightness. 

Making a few modifications with normal daily tasks, like improving work space ergonomics, can certainly reduce the risk of developing neck pain and upper trap muscle tightness after archery.

2. Head Tilt at Full Draw

The angle of your head in relation to the bowstring while at full draw can impact your neck. Tilting the head sideways to find the peep with every consecutive shot is typically secondary to inadequate draw length. This abnormal positioning of the neck increases the stress to muscles, intervertebral discs, and nerves of the cervical spine.

During archery, a right lateral head tilt is combined with neck rotation in the opposite direction while aiming at the target. This repetitive motion of the spine can result in facet arthropathy, muscle tightness, or nerve impingement.

The facet joint is the point where two vertebrae in the spine connect. In the cervical spine, the specific alignment of these joints allows for bending, twisting, and overall spinal alignment. Facet arthropathy arises when these joints become inflamed and painful. Pain is typically felt when the spine is rotated and extended, placing stress on these specific joints. 

The upper trapezius muscle is involved with tilting the head to the side. This repetitive motion to at full draw can over-stress the muscle and contribute to muscle tightness and pain.

Tilting and rotating the head also places the spine in a position that reduces the space through which nerves pass. Compression on the nerves in this region can lead to symptoms such as muscle weakness, numbness, and tingling along the arm, accompanied by neck pain. In some instances, this numbness and tingling may extend to the hand and fingers.

Sometimes small adjustments to bow setup can help improve archery technique and reduce the risk of developing neck pain caused by a head tilt at full draw.

3. Impaired Shoulder and Spinal Mobility

Neck pain after archery often stems from restricted mobility in the shoulder, neck, or mid-back. Drawing from my experience as a physical therapist, I’ve observed that mobility deficits are commonly the cause of neck pain in individuals over 50 years old, although it can affect us young bucks, as well.

Impaired mobility in the spine, scapula, or shoulder joint can prompt compensatory patterns while drawing and shooting a bow. Poor archery form and technique can result in abnormal stress on the muscles involved in these actions.

Assessing range of motion at home is easy to do. We’ll cover this in a video on YouTube. If you have a limited range of motion in the shoulder or spine, it may be good to assess posture (or positioning) while shooting a bow, as this can be an easy and quick-fix.

Body positioning has a direct correlation to the available range of motion of the shoulder and neck. Here is a quick way to do this while sitting where you are – simply hunch forward and round your upper back. From here, try to raise your arms or turn your head. Then, sit upright with good positioning, repeat the head/neck and shoulder movements and see how different the movements are. This goes to show why appropriate positioning and shooting technique with archery is very important. 

4. Muscle Weakness

Weakness in the muscles of the shoulder and scapula contributes to abnormal stresses along the shoulder and neck. The scapula and rotator cuff muscles, if weak, can be significant factors in experiencing pain after engaging in archery.

It’s not uncommon for individual’s to exhibit overall strength, such as lifting heavy loads in the shop or hitting a heavy bench press, yet still have underlying weakness in the muscles of the shoulder. The presence of robust strength does not necessarily eliminate the possibility of weakness in the shoulder girdle.

Key muscles that play a crucial role in neck pain after archery include the rhomboids, trapezius, rotator cuff, and serratus anterior muscles.

Targeted exercises can effectively address muscle weakness in the muscles involved in drawing and shooting a bow.

We’ve highlighted a few of these exercises in another blog post.

5. Postural abnormalities

I often hear people express concerns about their posture, with statements like “my posture is terrible” or “my mom thinks my posture is trash.”

Defining what constitutes “normal” posture can be challenging, and it’s crucial to understand that maintaining a single posture for an extended period may not be ideal. Instead, the key is to engage in regular movement and avoid prolonged positions. If you can comfortably transition in and out of various postures, it’s less likely that you have what is commonly perceived as “bad posture.”

In archery and bowhunting, maintaining precise positioning is critical for achieving proper form and technique. Rather than emphasizing the term “posture,” I prefer to highlight the significance of proper positioning of the head and neck, mid-back, and shoulders, as these elements play a key role in executing the movements necessary for drawing and shooting a bow.

Maintaining body positions for any extended length of time can result in muscle imbalances and postural (or positional) deficits. 

Muscle tightness in the pectoral muscles, an exaggerated thoracic kyphosis (hunchback), and tight hip flexors can lead to suboptimal positioning during the process of drawing and shooting a bow. These muscle imbalances significantly elevate the risk of injury while shooting a bow.

Frequent movement is essential to reduce the risk of developing muscle imbalances. Incorporating regular strength training and mobility exercises into your routine can effectively mitigate the negative effects associated with these imbalances.

6. Previous Shoulder Injury

It is important to consider all previous injuries when it comes to identifying the underlying issue of neck pain after archery. Previous shoulder injuries from the glory days of high school or college football can resurface with the repetitive movement of drawing and shooting a bow. 

Ladies, you’re not off the hook either. If hypermobility, characterized by excessive range of motion, is a concern, incorporating strengthening exercises can be beneficial. Engaging in targeted strengthening exercises is crucial for enhancing stability and relieving neck and shoulder pain linked to archery or comparable activities.

For those who have a history of shoulder injuries, it is essential to focus on specific exercises, particularly those targeting the rotator cuff and scapular muscles. This targeted approach aims to optimize joint health and overall performance.

Neglecting a prior shoulder injury could lead to heightened stress on the neck or mid-back, potentially serving as a contributing factor to neck pain following archery.

7. Cervical arthritis

Conditions such as spondylosis, degenerative disc disease, stenosis, and bulging discs are frequently observed in individuals aged 40 and above. Studies reveal that approximately 60% of those over 40 have degenerative disc disease, while the figure rises to over 90% for individuals over 60. Remarkably, many individuals with these conditions experience no pain and are classified as “asymptomatic.”

This proves that these changes are inherent aspects of the natural aging process and are commonly found in the majority of individuals as they advance in age.

Neck pain may arise from the natural changes in the spine, but adopting a thoughtful approach and consistently engaging in physical activity can help alleviate it.

It’s important to recognize that medication, injections, and surgery don’t always provide the solution. Adjusting aspects of the draw setup, such as draw weight and length, can effectively reduce stress on the neck, lessening pain after archery.

Incorporating specific exercises and stretches into your routine can also counteract the negative effects of natural aging on the spine.

Don’t let a medical diagnosis prevent you from doing the things you enjoy doing. Instead, take a step back and see what things you can modify and do differently to continue enjoying life to the fullest.

Top Products to Reduce Neck Pain

If you’ve stretched and stretched your neck without much pain relief, then it may be time to consider another option. Sometimes those tight neck and shoulder muscles need a little more attention and these products can do exactly that!

Below I have included a few product recommendations that I use in the physical therapy clinic to help reduce muscle tightness, joint stiffness, and pain. These products are easily found on Amazon and as an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

All of these products are small, lightweight, and can reduce neck pain. Throw them in your travel bag so you can reduce muscle soreness after your next long hunt!

Lacrosse ball

A deep tissue massage is a technique that involves applying firm pressure and slow strokes to target deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. A lacrosse ball is commonly used to address chronic muscle tension, adhesions (knots), and areas of discomfort. 

Using a lacrosse ball to apply pressure to muscles assists in releasing tension along the fascia (covering of muscles), reduces trigger point activity, increases blood flow, and stimulates a relaxation response. All of these benefits can decrease muscle tightness and pain.

If you enjoy the sensation of a deep tissue massage, then this technique might be perfect for you! 

Trigger point cane

A trigger point release is a therapeutic technique used to alleviate muscle tightness and discomfort associated with trigger points, which are hyperirritable spots within tight bands of skeletal muscle fibers. These points can cause local pain or refer pain to other areas of the body.

A trigger point release aims to deactivate these points and promote muscle relaxation. There are various methods to reduce trigger point activity, and one common approach is with the use of a trigger point cane.

This tool assists you in reaching those hard-to-reach muscles along the neck and back. 

Massage gun 

A massage gun is like a little handheld jack hammer that works by providing a percussive massaging technique to target muscles. This device offers adjustable speed settings, which allows users to control the intensity and depth of the massage. The rapid pulsations from the massage gun stimulate blood flow and relaxation to the targeted area.

Although a little more expensive, I believe a massage gun is worth the investment. 

TENS Unit

A TENS unit works by delivering low-voltage electrical impulses through electrodes placed on the skin. These electrodes are positioned on or near the area experiencing pain or discomfort. These electrical pulses create a tingling or buzzing sensation, which can effectively override or modulate pain signals traveling to the brain. This mechanism is thought to stimulate the production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, providing relief from various types of pain.

The device allows users to adjust the intensity, frequency, and duration of the electrical impulses, offering a customizable approach to managing pain. TENS units are commonly used for conditions such as chronic pain, arthritis, and muscle soreness, providing a non-invasive and drug-free method for alleviating discomfort. 

Conclusion

By understanding and addressing these factors, making modifications where needed, and consistently engaging in appropriate exercises, you can continue to pursue your passion while prioritizing your health and well-being. Don’t let a diagnosis define your limitations; instead, take proactive steps to continue embracing the activities you love.

Source: