Shoulder injuries

[thorne]

My son has very good academics....35 ACT, solid GPA, IB program + AP's. He's also getting his private pilot license and has expressed interest in becoming a military pilot. He's very strong and athletic. But here's the crux....he's had two shoulder dislocations in his left shoulder and has a small labral tear in his right shoulder. All happened playing baseball. The labrum issue only effects him throwing a baseball hard. His left shoulder is potentially more problematic. He can bench 200+lbs but doesn't feel comfortable doing a power snatch. A hard impact on the left shoulder may likely cause it to dislocate again.

I told him I didn't think he would pass the required physical, but thought I'd do some due diligence. He's toast, right?

 

[Dr. Strange Love]

.
What does your son want to do? …. Just love him, encourage him, and be there for him … whatever he decides, and whatever happens.

How will he ever know if he doesn’t give it a shot?
.

 

[dddad]

My son has very good academics....35 ACT, solid GPA, IB program + AP's. He's also getting his private pilot license and has expressed interest in becoming a military pilot. He's very strong and athletic. But here's the crux....he's had two shoulder dislocations in his left shoulder and has a small labral tear in his right shoulder. All happened playing baseball. The labrum issue only effects him throwing a baseball hard. His left shoulder is potentially more problematic. He can bench 200+lbs but doesn't feel comfortable doing a power snatch. A hard impact on the left shoulder may likely cause it to dislocate again.

I told him I didn't think he would pass the required physical, but thought I'd do some due diligence. He's toast, right?

Your son should complete his DoDMERB paperwork accurately without guess work or supposition-just the facts. If additional medical information is requested, provide it. Then, he should see what the result is. If DQ’d, he may receive a waiver. Nobody on this site can tell you he is toast based on the information provided. You might suggest your son post in the DoDMERB section of the forum. Mr. Mullen may provide additional guidance.

 

[CoffeeMama]

You miss all the shots you don't take.

 

[Capt MJ]

My son has very good academics....35 ACT, solid GPA, IB program + AP's. He's also getting his private pilot license and has expressed interest in becoming a military pilot. He's very strong and athletic. But here's the crux....he's had two shoulder dislocations in his left shoulder and has a small labral tear in his right shoulder. All happened playing baseball. The labrum issue only effects him throwing a baseball hard. His left shoulder is potentially more problematic. He can bench 200+lbs but doesn't feel comfortable doing a power snatch. A hard impact on the left shoulder may likely cause it to dislocate again.

I told him I didn't think he would pass the required physical, but thought I'd do some due diligence. He's toast, right?

My son has very good academics....35 ACT, solid GPA, IB program + AP's. He's also getting his private pilot license and has expressed interest in becoming a military pilot. He's very strong and athletic. But here's the crux....he's had two shoulder dislocations in his left shoulder and has a small labral tear in his right shoulder. All happened playing baseball. The labrum issue only effects him throwing a baseball hard. His left shoulder is potentially more problematic. He can bench 200+lbs but doesn't feel comfortable doing a power snatch. A hard impact on the left shoulder may likely cause it to dislocate again.

I told him I didn't think he would pass the required physical, but thought I'd do some due diligence. He's toast, right?

If you post this in the DoDMERB forum, Larry Mullen, the Deputy Director, will very likely offer to communicate by email with your son.

In the meantime, here is the accession standard:

https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/...i/613003_v1p.PDF?ver=9NsVi30gsHBBsRhMLcyVVQ==

DoDMERB finds the candidate to meet or not meet standards. It’s up to the individual service academy/service to waiver per their policy or not. It’s always worth a try and going through the drill with additional medical information (AMI) if requested. The same standards apply across all commissioning sources. Of course, alternate college plans should already be in the works.

 

[USNA_STEM_Prof]

My son has very good academics....35 ACT, solid GPA, IB program + AP's. He's also getting his private pilot license and has expressed interest in becoming a military pilot. He's very strong and athletic. But here's the crux....he's had two shoulder dislocations in his left shoulder and has a small labral tear in his right shoulder. All happened playing baseball. The labrum issue only effects him throwing a baseball hard. His left shoulder is potentially more problematic. He can bench 200+lbs but doesn't feel comfortable doing a power snatch. A hard impact on the left shoulder may likely cause it to dislocate again.

I told him I didn't think he would pass the required physical, but thought I'd do some due diligence. He's toast, right?

I have had multiple shoulder surgeries and labral tears (BJJ injuries), so I empathize with your son. A few thoughts:

1) Just gotta do the DoDMERB process. Sufficient documentation will help. When I was an OCS recruiter I got multiple applicants through medical that had sports related injuries, but they had ample documentation to make their case.

2) No more snatching. Just...no.

3) "A hard impact on the left shoulder may likely cause it to dislocate again" -- I get what you're saying and if that's a diagnosis from a doctor, fine, but if that's the supposition of a loving and concerned parent I'd let formal medical determinations guide the DoDMERB process. I was astonished as an OCS recruiter how frequently well meaning young men and women were their own medical worst enemies with what they thought, not what was a confirmed diagnosis.

 

[Dr. Strange Love]

.
What does your son want to do? …. Just love him, encourage him, and be there for him … whatever he decides, and whatever happens.

How will he ever know if he doesn’t give it a shot?
.

.
Why didn’t I get a “Like” … my response is the most honest and reasonable …
.

 

[CoffeeMama]

.
Why didn’t I get a “Like” … my response is the most honest and reasonable …
.

I got you!!

 

[justdoit19]

I got you!!

Me too! I gave you a ‘love’. That’s even better than a ‘like’

 

[thorne]

Thank you everyone for the information. I’ll follow up on the other forum.

After spending the last 3 years coming back from 2 major injuries in baseball to immediately having a 3rd has been a huge emotional drain on him. As well as going from a sought after high academic baseball recruit to not being able to play again. I’m apprehensive about him getting his hopes up about anything that has a physical component to it. So, I’m perhaps more cautious than most!

 

[StPaulDad]

The real distinction to look for here is not offering anything more than medical records. If the records don't say "may pop out" then it's not a thing. He may know better (along the lines of @USNA_STEM_Prof 's "No more snatching. Just...no.") but that's not the medical record. No diagnosing from the cheap seats.

 

[thorne]

2) No more snatching. Just...no.

Yeah, he was on a competitive Olympic lifting team and used to wrestle as well. Basically, the list of things you shouldn't do with an iffy shoulder. He wasn't that good at those sports, but he was an excellent baseball player. : (

 

[USNA_STEM_Prof]

Yeah, he was on a competitive Olympic lifting team and used to wrestle as well. Basically, the list of things you shouldn't do with an iffy shoulder. He wasn't that good at those sports, but he was an excellent baseball player. : (

Yeah....

I almost lost my commissioning from being enlisted due to a shoulder injury with college athletics. Gave a lot of that stuff up until I was commissioned. Now if I get broken, it's alright.

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

Yeah, he was on a competitive Olympic lifting team and used to wrestle as well. Basically, the list of things you shouldn't do with an iffy shoulder. He wasn't that good at those sports, but he was an excellent baseball player. : (

and you realize he will have to use that shoulder a lot at the USNA. Just in pleb summer alone he will use that shoulder quite a lot. He will also have classes in wrestling and in boxing etc .

And the basketball throw just to get in the USNA as well.

Having a shoulder injury is one thing, Surgery or rehab then go to go.

Having to give up his sports sounds a lot more serious and problematic to me.

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

DoDMERB

Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board

www.serviceacademyforums.com

Before I spent months and months doing an application and getting hopes up I’d see if you could not get an answer here on this SA medical forum.