RE: Shoulder Instability

[venomcanuck]

Hello,

I just went to the  doctor and  he told me  I had unstable shoulder joints.  Funny how doctors, in all my 26 years of living, never told me about this?

Essentially my shoulders can easily pop in and out of socket, moreso my left than my right.  I may require surgery and/or physiotherapy.

I am sure this would hamper my endeavour to join the Armed Forces as a Naval  Communicator, right? 

VC

 

[scoutfinch]

I have hypermobile knees and elbows.  It did not prohibit me getting into the Reserves although I had to get a letter from my family physician stating that it did not currently cause me problems and it hadn't been a problem since my teens.

 

[SweetNavyJustice]

I am by no means an expert in this field so take my comments as simply an opinion.

When I joined, during my CF medical they did check for strength in your joints.  This basically consisted of the Dr. pulling on your arm and legs while immobalizing different parts.  From this I would gather that joint strength is important to them to a certain degree and could impact your enrollment.  

As always, with a question such as this, check with recriting directly.  

Good luck.

 

[venomcanuck]

Okay,

So now I went to my family doctor and he said there was nothing wrong with my joints and that hypermobility of them is normal as long as it doesn't cause you pain.

I think this guy might be a quack so  I will be  looking  for another doctor.  I don't trust them one bit.

VC

Hello,

I just went to the  doctor and  he told me  I had unstable shoulder joints.  Funny how doctors, in all my 26 years of living, never told me about this?

Essentially my shoulders can easily pop in and out of socket, moreso my left than my right.  I may require surgery and/or physiotherapy.

I am sure this would hamper my endeavour to join the Armed Forces as a Naval  Communicator, right? 

VC

 

[fleeingjam]

Call into your local CFRC and ask to talk to the MO, they can answer your question. But from the sounds of it im pretty sure you will need some sort of letter from your GP.

- Good Luck

 

[GINge!]

FWIW, depending on your trade this may become a problem. From unit PT to FTX's, there are numerous situations that can cause your shoulder to dislocate. Speaking from experience, you don't want a dislocation to happen while you're swimming! :-[

Recurrant shoulder dislocations are not a good thing; as the tendons stretch they become less capable of supporting the joint & it takes incrementally less force for the dislocation to occur. Eventually, picking up a 2 kilo weight can cause it to come out of joint. There is also a risk of axillary nerve damage depending on the nature of the dislocation.