Preventing Shoulder Injury in Compound Archery: What Every Archer (and Coach) Needs to Know

As a coach and lifelong archery enthusiast, I’ve had the privilege of working with many styles of archery—from traditional and barebow to Olympic recurve and compound. Today, I want to dive into something incredibly important for compound archers, especially those coming from a single-string background:

How you draw your bow back matters.
And if you're not careful, you could be putting yourself at serious risk of injury.

In this post, I break down how I draw a compound bow safely and efficiently—and highlight a common mistake that could lead to impingement syndrome, one of the most frequent injuries I’ve seen in archery.

The KSL Shot Cycle and Why It Matters

I’m a big advocate of the KSL Shot Cycle, a biomechanically efficient shooting method used widely in Olympic recurve and other single-string styles. It emphasizes alignment, large muscle recruitment, and structure over brute strength.

When applied correctly, it can help you:

• Shoot heavier draw weights with less strain

• Maximize consistency and accuracy

• Prevent overuse injuries in the shoulder and forearm

BUT—and this is critical—the KSL setup position should not be used with compound bows. Let me explain why.

⚠️ The Injury You Didn't See Coming: Impingement Syndrome

One of the most common injuries in archery is impingement syndrome, caused by compression in the subacromial space—a small but important area in the front of the shoulder.

When this space gets pinched (usually by poor posture or poor draw technique), it can lead to:

• Shoulder pain

• Tendinitis or tendinosis

• Long-term damage that limits how many arrows you can shoot

The biggest culprits?
Drawing from a high, forward position with a retracted scapula
Trying to apply single-string setup mechanics to a compound draw

Understanding the Mechanics: Compound vs. Recurve

When drawing a recurve or traditional bow using the KSL shot cycle:

• You move from set ➡️ setup ➡️ full draw

• In the setup position, your scapula begins to rotate toward your spine

• This sets up strong alignment and allows for efficient use of back muscles

With a compound bow, the draw mechanics are entirely different:

• There is no setup position like in KSL

• You draw from a higher position with the scapula elevated and moving away from the spine

• Your collarbone lifts, and your scapula follows the head of the humerus

If you try to retract and depress your scapula like you would in a KSL setup, you close the subacromial space—and that’s a fast track to injury.

How to Draw a Compound Bow Safely

When I draw a compound, I:

1. Start with a slightly elevated posture

2. Allow the scapula to follow the collarbone upward

3. Avoid forcing the shoulder back or down prematurely

4. Set into proper alignment only after reaching full draw

This keeps the shoulder joint safe, the motion fluid, and injury off the table.

A Note to Coaches: Please Teach This

If you’re a coach teaching the KSL shot cycle—or any style, really—it’s crucial to clearly distinguish between compound and single-string draw mechanics.

📢 Coaches: The "setup" position in the KSL shot cycle does not exist in compound archery.
Don’t try to force it. Don’t teach it. It’s not just inefficient—it’s dangerous.

Calling this out when coaching mixed groups gives you more credibility and ensures athletes stay healthy.

Final Thoughts 

As someone who has both experienced and recovered from shoulder injuries, I can say without hesitation: prevention is key. I’ve seen too many archers sidelined because they were taught to draw their compound bow using single-string mechanics.

So whether you're a coach, a seasoned shooter, or just getting started with compound archery, please take this to heart. Keep your draw safe, smart, and aligned with how your equipment was designed to be used.

Thanks for reading—and keep those shoulders healthy!