Marine SNA w/ dislocated shoulder

[Stinger7212]

Any docs/aviators/Marines/Airwarriors out there with experience on a dislocated shoulder?

I dislocated my shoulder 2 weeks ago and am currently grounded. I was scheduled to start API in about 3 months and am pretty bummed about the prognosis of this injury. As I've already been told by the flight surgeon that "recurrent dislocating shoulder" is NPQ for flight and even for service. Although this is my first episode, I've done extensive research only to learn this typically recurs 80-90% of the time without surgery and surgery is rarely done on the first dislocation, although proven extremely effective.

Right now seems like the best time to have this operation as I am simply waiting to begin training and am trying to educate myself as best possible before seeing the Navy orthopedic doc.

Some questions include:
-Does anyone have any references/recommendations for orthopedic surgeons or physiotherapists in Pensacola?
-Are waivers required for surgery or just proving to flight doc you're fit for duty?
-Does anyone have any personal experience on recovery from injury w/ or w/out the surgery and how it affected you in your service as a Marine or Aviator, specifically shoulder-challenging events in the pipeline?
-Has anyone had a second, third, etc occurence while in training/fleet and what was the outcome?
-Has this injury proven challenging to anyone in their service or more of a nuisance?
-Has anyone heard of an officer being medically discharged for recurring episodes?

Any experience on the matter is much appreciated.

-One unlucky SOB

 

[usmarinemike]

I don't know a ton about it, but I get the feeling that you're overreacting...a lot. You don't have a recurring dislocated shoulder. You've already been through NOMI so you don't have to go through that ball-stomping again. You most likely have a down chit right now. When you go back to tell the flight doc that you're all better, she/he will give you an up chit and you carry on. If he/she doesn't, THEN take whatever remedial action is required to get that up chit. You're thinking WAY too far ahead. Don't talk or worry about any of this at medical unless you don't get your up chit back.

EDIT: Surgery is crazy at this point. Do what you have to do to get better and get through the training pipeline. Now is NOT the ideal time to get surgery for pretty much anything.

 

[Stinger7212]

You're spot-on about the paranoid over-reacting, but it's unnerving.

Correct on the down-chit, excuse my terminology and you're correct about proving ROM and strength to flight doc.

I'm mostly concerned about the problems this may cause in the future. It seems like now would be the best time to correct this with surgery while I'm sitting on my ass for 3 months regardless.

 

[BigRed389]

You're spot-on about the paranoid over-reacting, but it's unnerving.

Correct on the down-chit, excuse my terminology and you're correct about proving ROM and strength to flight doc.

I'm mostly concerned about the problems this may cause in the future. It seems like now would be the best time to correct this with surgery while I'm sitting on my ass for 3 months regardless.

In other words, you figure go ahead and lose some time now to reduce chances of future injury later when you're actually contributing to a unit.

When are you going to see the ortho? If they're willing to recommend it I'd go with it.

When i had my dislocation, I was attached to a ship deploying soon...going LIMDU at that time likely would've meant no deployment, no pin, etc. If that had been a recurrence, I would've faced a pretty shitty situation.

 

[feddoc]

I wouldn't get too excited about surgery unless the ortho doc recommends it. Perhaps you can ask to see a Physical Therapist. He, or she, might be able to teach you some exercises to strengthen your shoulder girdle. If that fails, then you could seek assistance at a gym with certified (either by NSCA or ACSM) instructors who could teach those same exercises.

Here are some examples: http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_shlddis_rex.htm However, I would not begin any of these exercises without first consulting your ortho doc.

 

[81montedriver]

I can speak to some experience with this situation. I dislocated my shoulder twice in one season playing high school football. Had surgery after the season to repair my torn labrum. The doc did what is called a Bankhart procedure which left me a nice 6 inch scar on my shoulder. Finished physical therapy in 3 months and after several more months of light weightlifting, it was back to normal. Fast forward several years later in college when I applied to Marine OCS, my application for a waiver was turned down twice. It was finally granted after a flight doc from Quantico came to see myself and a couple of other candidates and I showed her that I can perform various functions.

So how does this apply to you? Due to the nature of the Marine Corps, since you will have to perform a PFT and a CFT every year, it requires that you have a decent shoulder. Not to mention that during API you will be doing lots of swimming which also requires a decent shoulder.

The reason I had surgery was because an MRI determined I had a bad enough tear that the probability of it dislocating again was pretty high. Since the surgery, my shoulder has endured 4 years of college football, OCS, TBS, API and every PFT and CFT without ANY issue to that shoulder. So, if you haven't already, you should get an MRI. From there it is your choice. You don't get the surgery, you risk another dislocation and you possibly lose your air contract. You get the surgery, it takes you longer to get to API, but you have the piece of mind knowing that you have a better shoulder than you did before. Any other questions you can PM me. Good luck to you.

 

[MAKE VAPES]

Torn right rotator cuff '91, dislocated same shoulder in primary brawling infront of Corpus police station at bar closing... can't raise and hold a 10 pound weight more than 20 degrees or so off my right hip standing up.

now... ~3950 hours of flight time, mostly in "fighters"... shoulder hurts from time to time, push ups suck, as do pull ups.

Im no MD, BUT.....

Chicken little, the sky is NOT falling...

 

[Ace_Austin]

Like Vapes said, not the end of the world. As long as it isn't a recurring thing you should be ok. I dislocated my right shoulder my Junior year playing football. It was a pretty serious injury, they had to sedate me for 12 hours to get my muscles to relax enough to reset it. When it came time to get my medical paperwork for graduation I submitted a letter from the doc who had treated me saying I had full range of motion and it wasn't likely to happen again. Waiver approved. If I recall my NAMI appointment right they had me move it through full range of motion again and since it didn't fall off or pop out they were fine with me flying. Be smart with your recovery, train where you can and enjoy Pensacola.

 

[Stinger7212]

Thank you all for the words of wisdom. Seeing the ortho this week.