tfn0
10-29-2006, 02:21 PM
Hello there, I am a 23 year old Military Police Officer at Ft. Bragg, NC. I have been in the army 4 1/2 years, and participated in the Iraqi invasion in 2003, to give you a little background.
In Special forces training (PLDC/BNOC to be specific) I had a very heavy rucksack about a year ago, that hurt my shoulder very badly, to the point I couldn't lift my shoulder the next day. Luckily it was the last week, so I finished training, then went on a break. I didn't report the injury as I didn't want to get 'booted out' of training. 3 months later, I started the next phase of training (small unit tactics). 4 weeks into training I couldn't lift my shoulder anymore. I reported it to the medical personell out there, they put me on oral steroids and some advil and had me keep going (my shoulder was in intense pain at this time.) 3 days later, I could literally not lift it and had to drop training and go to the clinic. X rays were taken, and they gave me some advil.
Over the last year I have done 20+ weeks of physical therapy, had Xrays, MRI, dye injection MRI, and 3 cortisone shots, nothing has really helped. I was scheduled for surgery at one time, they told me they were going to smooth out a chunk of bone and scope it, when I came in for pre op, they told me the MRI's showed there was nothing wrong, gave me another shot, and told me to come back in 6 weeks. There is a constant pain in the top back of the shoulder, it cracks when I move it in certain directions very badly, with loud, audible popping when I do this, there is some intense pain at night at times.
So far the army doctors have diagnosed me about 5 times, in order they are;
Question truncated - the entire question + Dr. Sinuhe's Answer can be found here: http://askdoctorjoshua.com/2006/12/15/shoulder-injury-and-army-career/
In Special forces training (PLDC/BNOC to be specific) I had a very heavy rucksack about a year ago, that hurt my shoulder very badly, to the point I couldn't lift my shoulder the next day. Luckily it was the last week, so I finished training, then went on a break. I didn't report the injury as I didn't want to get 'booted out' of training. 3 months later, I started the next phase of training (small unit tactics). 4 weeks into training I couldn't lift my shoulder anymore. I reported it to the medical personell out there, they put me on oral steroids and some advil and had me keep going (my shoulder was in intense pain at this time.) 3 days later, I could literally not lift it and had to drop training and go to the clinic. X rays were taken, and they gave me some advil.
Over the last year I have done 20+ weeks of physical therapy, had Xrays, MRI, dye injection MRI, and 3 cortisone shots, nothing has really helped. I was scheduled for surgery at one time, they told me they were going to smooth out a chunk of bone and scope it, when I came in for pre op, they told me the MRI's showed there was nothing wrong, gave me another shot, and told me to come back in 6 weeks. There is a constant pain in the top back of the shoulder, it cracks when I move it in certain directions very badly, with loud, audible popping when I do this, there is some intense pain at night at times.
So far the army doctors have diagnosed me about 5 times, in order they are;
Question truncated - the entire question + Dr. Sinuhe's Answer can be found here: http://askdoctorjoshua.com/2006/12/15/shoulder-injury-and-army-career/