Like any sport, a few common archery injuries are an element of the activity to be considered.

[caption id="attachment_6176" align="aligncenter" width="294"] There are a few common archery injuries that shooters are prone to develop.[/caption] All sports carry some risk. Sports such as football, hockey, and lacrosse, as well as many others, have a high level of risk involved. Fortunate is the person who can participate in these activities for long without getting some sort of injury. They are simply hard on the body and take a noticeable toll in a short period of time. Other sports, such as archery, have a much lower risk factor. Sure, archery accidents do happen, but they can generally be avoided by following a few simple safety measures when target shooting or out in the field. However safe, archers still must be aware of possible injuries that can develop. Most archery injuries are caused by the repetitive motion of drawing the bow. Over time this motion can lead to several archery injuries. However, archers can follow a few simple steps to decrease the likelihood they will develop these injuries. Here is a list of the 3 most common archery injuries.

Rotator Cuff Injuries

The shoulder is considered to be one of the most complex joints of the human body. It is complex array of tendons, muscles, and bone, all mixed together to give our arms a serious range of motion. This joint however is prone to injury, especially repetitive motion injuries. Each time we draw our bow we are putting stress on this joint. Over time, and as our bodies weaken, our shoulders can become inflamed and at risk of being pulled. These conditions lead to rotator cuff injuries. Usually a rotator cuff injury requires time and rest to heal. In severe cases surgery may be necessary. Shoulder injuries are common archery injuries.

Tendinitis

Tendinitis is caused by repetitive strain or an unusual strain. Over time archers continual stress on the wrist, elbow, and shoulder can lead to tendinitis in these areas. Once again, this is the type of injury that will generally develop in more aged archers. Normally tendinitis takes several weeks of rest to heal.

Muscle Strains

The final most common type of archery injury is a muscle strain. Just as the name implies, in this type of injury a muscle is pushed beyond its limits and eventually tears slightly. Many times this can be caused by shooting a new and unfamiliar bow, or an increase in poundage. Muscle strains can lay up an archer for a few weeks, or several months depending on the severity. The most straightforward way to prevent these common archery injuries is by preventing them over time. All three of these injuries can be somewhat prevented by maintaining a good degree of physical shape. You don't have to be running marathons, but light physical activity and a few archery exercises can surely keep you shooting well into your golden years. Also it is important to understand that excessive shooting will make you more likely to develop these conditions later in life. I've met more than a few older shooters who have given it up due to injury. Sometimes this is beyond our control, but sometimes we can take a few simple steps to prevent these common archery injuries. NEXT: OFFSEASON PREP; 3 RUNNING WORKOUTS FOR HUNTERS