Medical Question

Northerner

5-Year Member
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Feb 2, 2012
Messages
71
Here's a question that I was asked and I said that I would try to obtain an educated answer. A teammate of my son is being recruited for football by a couple of the service academies as well as about 6-7 Div 1-AA programs...a very good player, and smart as heck. He's had a small shoulder problem - nothing major (so he thought, just some discomfort every so often which he simply figured was soreness from lifting weights), however, he decided to finally have it checked out. It was discovered that he's got a small tear in his labrum - the doctor suggested that he have surgery in December after his senior season of football. Doctor said that with a brace he'd be fine for the upcoming season, but he really suggested to consider the surgery simply to "tighten everything up", full recovery with rehab is 4-6 months...(at least that's what this boy's parents have told me). The parents/player have spoken with the non-service academy schools and they said go ahead and take care of the shoulder after the season, his scholarship offers are fine - and worse case they will red-shirt him the first year (which is what they were probably going to do anyway). They have not spoken to the service academies yet...which is really where he wants to go. And you know why...
a. If he has the surgery he will most likely be medically DQ'ed...is that a correct assumption?
b. If he says nothing and doesn't have the surgery he would lying...he'd have to lie on his medical questionnaire (which he would not do).
Anyone have any insight as to what I can say to this family?
 
Well my answer is going to depend on if he really has his heart set on going to a service academy. If the answer is yes, then the likely best course of action is to get the surgery done now and skip football season.

If he is more football then service academy then the answer is wait until after and roll the dice with rehabbing in time to get the DQ lifted for the service academy appointment.
 
Well my answer is going to depend on if he really has his heart set on going to a service academy. If the answer is yes, then the likely best course of action is to get the surgery done now and skip football season.

If he is more football then service academy then the answer is wait until after and roll the dice with rehabbing in time to get the DQ lifted for the service academy appointment.
Thank you kp2001 for the reply. Only he (and his family) can answer where his heart is at, but when I speak with them tomorrow I will lay it out like that. The kid is 17 years old - it's a tough call. I feel for him. But I know his dad too - his first question will be...if he has the surgery now who is to say that he still would not be medically DQ'ed even if cleared by his doctors. What I may suggest for him to do is contact DodMERB and speak/email with somewhere there so that he knows first-hand what the process will be with a surgery in June or a surgery in December. Thank you again.
 
But I know his dad too - his first question will be...if he has the surgery now who is to say that he still would not be medically DQ'ed even if cleared by his doctors.

And that's a great question.

Ultimately either way he is very likely to have a DQ that will require a remedial. But if he wants the best chance of a waiver he needs to be as close to 100% as possible prior to the deadlines for waivers.

I'm assuming football is in the fall where this person is located. That means likely surgery in November/December. I don't know shoulders that well but I'm guessing it is likely a 3-6 month rehab. (I've seen a few shoulder surgeries and remember the recovery being tough, but don't remember the exact details)

That means he is looking at as early as Feb and as late as June before being cleared from rehab. Those later time frames are too close for comfort.

If he's being recruited by the Academies call the coaches at the ones he's being recruited for and ask them.
 
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