Medical Worries!

[Zuma Zuma]

Hey there,

Another wannabe i'm afraid, i'm on a UAS and could do with some advice. I'm desperate to join the RAF as a pilot at the end of my degree and the UAS and am slightly worried about a medical situation.

I recently dislocated my shoulder pretty badly. The hospital staff were unable to put my shoulder back in and it was down to the line whether I would have to have surgery. In the end my shoulder slipped back into place of its own accord while I was knocked out on morphine and my muscles were relaxed.

I have seen various doctors since (not RAF), and they have all said my shoulder went through a serious trauma and I must make a decision whether to have 'strengthening' surgery or not.

My worry is how the RAF view an injury like this and whether they would prefer me to have the surgery or to leave the shoulder to let it heal on its own over time. I hope to continue my flying training within a month.

Your help in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

[noprobs]

Talk to your UAS staff, and they will get advice from OASC. Surgery is best avoided until you have advice from a flight medical officer, who should know the full implications. Now that you've gone public in this forum, there's no point in trying to keep this from anyone.

[Feneris]

Agreed, talk to the medical staff at OASC before any operation or surgery is carried out. We can't speculate here about possible outcomes. I would recommend that you deal with it straight away, the crabs can be really anal about medicals and I know people who've spent years fighting to get themselves declared fit. If the crabs are akward, talk to the RN who seem to be a lot more down to earth and realistic about medicals.

[country calls]

As a former Rugbyist with a background in sport injury management who has suffered trauma something along these lines, let me issue you with a word of warning. Unless your shoulder is in danger of, or is constantly dislocating, surgery should be very carefully considered only as a last resort.

Find yourself a good physiotherapist and ask his advice on the matter, and for exercises to strengthen the muscles which support the joint. It will have been the spasm in your muscle mass which kept the medics from resetting the dislocate, and these powerful muscles, as long as they weren't seriously damaged are, with the right strengthening, more than adequate to prevent reoccurance. Unless of course you play the sport of gentlemen, (zuma zuma is I believe, a famous rugby playing zulu warrior). In which case it is time to give the season up, and even perhaps consider not playing again until you have received the kings shilling, and are entitled to the services of the sadists at Hedley Court.

A good tip is speaking to the physio at your nearest pro rugby/soccer club, who will specialise in these musculo-skeletal injuries and can offer the best advice And if you are really lucky may offer their services for a small fee.

Good luck!

CC

[Hawk]

Zuma..might be worthwhile posting in Medical and Health forum as well.

[PPRuNe Pop]

Good idea. It is done!

PPP