Another in a long line of oddball health issue for me. This time around it’s a rotator cuff injury. It’s kind of funny – I’m pretty sure I sustained this by using the long version of the 
stick which I use to throw the ball for Soolin. In warmer months I use that thing for a half an hour twice a day and it’s done in my arm. I get sharp severe pains when I move my arm to certain points in an arc, and most especially if I try and lean on my right elbow or lean back on my elbows. It sucks. It also means I can’t use my rowing machine or weight bench. I made a trade for an elliptical trainer with a friend of mine to help deal, meanwhile though in the past 2 months I’ve gained ~7 pounds or so.
Meanwhile I have no way to throw the ball for Soolin. I’m going to stop at a sporting goods place on the way home and pick up a lacrosse stick and see if my arm can handle it.
Dave's Place/Metamusing 
Emmet has something like a jumbo wrist rocket that fires the ball about as far as the chuckit does… It was an impulse buy at the pet store – no idea where to find one, but it might be worth investigating.
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Hey,
Does it really fly as far as the chuckit? I can definitely get some serious distance with that chuckit stick. I saw the slingshot in the store and was like, ehh, this thing will only toss the ball like 20 yards.
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Ouch – sorry to hear. Having had my share of back/shoulder/neck problems I have great sympathy. Are you going to have to have surgery?
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The lacrosse idea is sound. I have witnessed it in action. The wrist rocket would double as a possible water balloon launcher maybe??
I do like the idea of the tennis ball launcher with the bowl for the dog to return the ball too. That makes it 100% dog operated.
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I have the lacrosse stick and have been using it. Still hurts the shoulder but not nearly as much as the chuckit or just throwing it does, and it’s fun to use and easier to pick up the ball.
No surgery, or at least it seems unlikely. I have to go back in 6 months to get it looked at again, and possibly it will mean physical therapy at that point.
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I went to the physical therapist twice after I dislocated my shoulder. Once to see what they wanted me to do, and again to show them what I already was doing at the gym prior to the injury. They looked things over and said be careful here, do more of this and don’t bother coming back to see us. In November the orthopedic surgeon declared surgery unnecessary.
I would find out what you can do now to strengthen things and not wait for 6 months to find out. Like all things, recovery is never 100%. That is the lame part.
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