DQ'ed for back.

[mlv]

My D has received her LOA for the USMA. She has all her paperwork submitted for admission. She was medically DQ'ed for her back and the USMA has already submitted a request for a waiver. She was diagnosed with a sprained lower back, which occurred over two years ago, but continued to attend camps and train for fall sports. As a result, the back took a few months to heal. She utilized physical therapy, chiropractic, and core training and she has not had any problems in two years. She continues to play varsity level sports, lifts weights, runs, swims, etc.. She also completed the CFA without any problems and attended summer sessions at both the USMA and the USNA, without any problems. The USMA has advised her not to worry, but a DQ definitely raises the anxiety level. Any advise and do you think she will be granted her waiver. Thanks in advance.

 

[RetNavyHM]

Without knowing what the DQ was for, there is no way for me to say. There are multiple different DQ's for the back ranging from recent injuries, all the way to spinal fusion. If you could give a little more information I will be able to give a better answer.

 

[mlv]

Thanks for your prompt response. We will check the DoDMERB site for the exact reason and reply back.

 

[mlv]

Received notice from DoDMERB. " Herniation of intervertebral disk or surgery for this condition." My D was told by her doctor that she had a very slight bulge in one disc, but that at her age at the time (15 and still growing), that is wasn't unusual to see this in children. She was diagnosed with the sprained back and the exercise and chiropractic remedied it. Again, she has not had any back pain or problems for over two years and is very active physically. She has not received any additional requests for information from the USMA, beyond the fact that they have submitted for a waiver. Any suggestions at this point? Thanks in advance.

 

[RetNavyHM]

There was obviously some mention of the herniated disk in the medical records that were provided to DoDMERB, and as such, they had to disqualifiy. At this point your best bet would be to pursue the waiver. The severtiy of the disk herniation will determine what chances your daughter has for a waiver.

A herniated disk, no matter how minor, is still a serious matter, as the chances of them getting worse, and possibly requiring surgery in the future are a real possibility.

A suggestion (this is just a suggestion and is not DoDMERB policy or medical advise as stated in my signature line) would be to have your daughter evaluated by her physician, and possibly an orthopedic surgeon to evaluate the severity of the herniation. If you decide to do this, the evealuation should be sent to DoDMERB and they will forward the information to the waiver authority.

As always, if you have any other questions please feel free to ask away.

 

[mlv]

Thanks for the response. I had already advised my D to contact the admissions officer who is handling her file, to inquire if there was anything she could do to help with a waiver.

 

[mlv]

RetNavyHM,
Today, we went to see the back specialist who treated my daughter for her injury. He conducted a range of tests and examined her back. He stated that her back was normal and very healthy and strong and that she had very good range of motion; and that he did not detect any problems. He further advised that he felt she would not have any problems with her back, if she attends a military academy. He is writing a report that we can submit to DoDMERB. We also have an appointment with her chiropractor re: an examination. He also stated that after her exam, that if everything looks good, he will also write a report. My D is contacting her admissions officer to advise him of same. How long do we have to submit these reports to DoDMERB, so that the USMA receives them in a timely fashion while considering her waiver? Also, should the doctors send the reports directly to DoDMERB or can we forward them? My D has also been training for 4 months with a certified personal trainer who is also a registered nurse. She is willing to write a letter stating that my D trains extremely hard and has no problems with her back. Would you advise doing this? Thanks in advance.

 

[RetNavyHM]

I would get copies of all the reports and forward them to DoDMERB yourself. This way you can be assured that they made it to DoDMERB in a timely manner. What is important to you, isn't always as important to others!

As for getting a letter from the trainer, by all means, if she is willing to do one, send it in. I would also have your daughter write up a statement stating in her words how she is doing, what activities she currently participates in and how her back affects them, if at all. The more information the waiver folks have to work with the easier the decision is.

There really isn't a timeline that all this needs to be accomplished, sometime before R-day would be best . The sooner the information is received, the sooner the waiver authorities can start to work on it.

 

[mlv]

The trainer is more than willing to provide a letter. We should have everything in hand by next week and will forward same to DoDMERB. We had discussed including a cover letter from my D, describing exactly what you have suggested. My D has kept her admissions officer up to date and he is very positive and supportive. USMA has really impressed the family with how they have handled everything. Again, thanks for all your advise and assistance.