When I did mine in I was still on flying status with the RAuxAF. I sought medical advice and was told that surgery would take me out of fitness for the best part of a year. Without surgery and receiving treatment it would be restored in eighteen months. With no treatment it would recover by itself in a year and a half. I elected for the leave it be principle and all was serviceable in a year and a half as predicted. It was never as robust as before but as I was never a left handed overarm bowler nobody noticed. I just wish I could fix the arthritic knee I have that was caused by coming off an inflated banana at warp speed.