Separated Shoulder - problems?

[Mr. Ted]

I separated my right shoulder motocrossing in 2000.

I overjumped a 50 foot table top in fourth gear - it wasn‘t the jump that got me, but the bad landing and the flying over the handlebars that did it.

Anyways, the doc at the ER took a look, said I separated it, told me they no longer operate on separated shoulders and that I should lay off it for a few months, then it would be "like normal"

However, army physicals being what they are, I should ask if anyone has run into problems with this getting in the way of the recruiting process, or, upon entering the forces, if carrying a ruck or moving a heavy piece of equipment caused any further strains or breaks.

I know, the question is out there somewhat, but I gotta ask if anyone‘s run into this before. It‘s still somewhat visible as a bump on the shoulder and apparently collar bone breaks and separated shoulders(the collar bone separating from the shoulder) are the most common bones to do.

So, anyone else had to deal with this?

Mr. Ted

 

[48Highlander]

We had a guy break his collarbone on my QL3. he had to be RTU‘d, but he came back the following year and completed it. I beleive he‘s been working with the regs for the last 6 years with no problems. So, as long as your injury is fully healed, I don‘t see why it‘d cause problems for you either.

 

[Pieman]

Might be a good idea to go to your family doctor and have him look at it. (Take an XRay) If he thinks it is fine, then have him write a note saying so. Bring that to the Medical with you.

 

[mkymk]

I am hoping it‘s not a problem either. I dislocated my shoulder (is that same as separated?) in 2001 and during the medical, the officer made me take a form to my family doctor to evaluate whether it would be a problem for me to be in the force.

 

[Mr. Ted]

Actually, separating a shoulder is just what it sounds like - separating the top portion of the humorous from the collarbone. It hurts, but by God man, when you dislocated yours, I bet you blacked out from the pain. How did you do it? What was it like?

So a shoulder separation is considerably lighter than a dislocation.

Thank you all for the f/b. I guess the way to go is a doctor‘s note saying, "no big deal, let the boy carry a rifle." It‘s actually the weight of the ruck directly on the bump on my shoulder I‘m somewhat concerned about. It hasn‘t gotten in the way of me lifting weights at all, that‘s for sure.

Ted

 

[Roger]

I seperated the two shoulders, right one twice, left one once. All of them where done racing motocross. I did rehab on the three injuries and I am fine, it was in 1982, 85 and 86. I quit racing after the third injurie.

I am fine with all of my duties in the infantry.

 

[1feral1]

I did a right clavicular subluxation where the collar bone was separated from the sternum, when a pallet of F88 rifles weighing about 250kg fell off a fork lift. That was in Nov 1998, In March of 2000, it happened again, this time from repeatedly cocking .50 M2 HB‘s during a week of firing. Although not as severe, it sure was sore, infact I could not even lift a 2 litre pack of milk. The ADF looked after me throughout both incidents, with treatment and of course ‘pain killers‘.

Presently, i just kind of watch it now, and I have had some minor muscle wasting above my right shoulder blade. I manage to pass the bi-annual PT tests with much of a problem. At 44 yrs old, one does not heal as fast as when he was 19.

Cheers,

Wes

 

[Phillman]

Just be careful, a guy on one of my courses last summer dislocated his shoulder. Apparently it was a repeat injury and last I heard it was being decided whether or not he would be allowed to stay in the Army.

 

[Mr. Ted]

Thanks so much for the input. A few years out still, and crossing off obstacles that may leap out at me. Better to find out a few years out rather than be denied due to some trivial thing I never investigated.

Good to hear others with separated shoulders are doing just fine in the infantry. ‘Fraid I ain‘t interested in anything else. It‘s infantry for me if and when I go back in. Oddly enough, my brother once served in the infantry with a guy with a colostomy bag! A colostomy bag! Imagine that during section attacks! So I really have no excuse, other than a giant twisted scar up my abdomen. But, one thing at a time.

Thanks again for all the info I‘m getting off this site.

Mr. Ted

 

[jutes85]

Actually, a seperated or dislocated shoulder is a real big deal. During my medical I said I had a possible shoulder dislocation, during a hockey game. The officer told me to goto a orthopedic surgen and get an opinion whether it is stable or not.

I never did go to the surgen, just my family doctor and since I never did dislocate it, it was not problem. The medical officer who took the examination was a complete ****er and didn‘t do anything or know S*it. I said that I‘d re-do my medical with another person.

Everything worked out fine, just make sure that you don‘t get screwed over because of one dumb idiot.