shoulder injury ?

[rdgshooteer]

I am currently 11b and just pcsed to a new unit in Oct. My shoulder has bothered me for years and at my old unit wasnt a problem with the way I did push ups. I got up here and had a diagnostic pt test and was told to just stop the push ups as they didnt count and was told to have my shoulder evaluated. I have been in physical therapy since DEC with no change really noted. I was sent for a MRI last week and received the results today. I wont see my actual provider for about a month yet. Ill be starting steroid treatments this week at PT. I have tried searching for the info I am looking for and am now more confused. The mri shows that I have a degenerative condition in the shoulder as well as some fluid. I talked to my friend who is a MD and he said they were basically reading it as arthritis.

I am trying to figure out what the Army is going to do with me. I just reenlisted in April and have a family. I am trying to figure out if theyll keep me in the same MOS with a profile, reclass me or medically separate me. Im just trying to get a heads up before I see my provider again in Feb. If I wasnt married with children I wouldnt be too concerned with the outcome. I just want an idea if I should start trying to figure out post Army life or just suck it up and pretend my shoulder doesnt bother me to stay in.

Thanks for the help.

 

[earthtrekker1775]

Re: shoulder injury ?

Well, without getting political it can never hurt to be prepared for post-army life. However, before you take the diagnosis and run with it, you may want to seek out an exam by an Osteopathic physician (D.O.) specializing in Sports Medicine or Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The Docs may have nailed the diagnosis on the head but again, it is your career, you may want to get all your bases covered. I hope you find it is something that can be rehabbed to a high level of pain-free functioning.
Good luck.


Semper Fi

 

[fx77]

Re: shoulder injury ?

U really do not yet have a definitive diagnosis...Wait for the complete eval...Steroide in PT iontophoresis or phonophoresis have no therapeutic validity...

It could be anything from ghenohumeral arthritis to rotator cuff pathology, to glenoid labrun degeneration, SLAP lesion pathology...etc...
Some of these conditions are ;correctable and some not.
the diagnosis and treatment options, and outcome with treatment will determine your future in the service.

 

[rdgshooteer]

Re: shoulder injury ?

Thanks for the advice. Ill just sit back and see what happens with the PT and what the Doc says.

 

[300WSM]

Re: shoulder injury ?

took me 2 years with different PT's, chiropractors, massage etc etc to get me fixed.

In the end I had a biceps tendon that was out of place according to some dude I found on youtube. lol. Anyway I said what the hell and gave him a try. 5min later I was about 10x better and good to go with in about 5 weeks. The out of place tendon caused a massive muscle imbalance. Doc said PT's never believe him but he's fixed thousands of chronic shoulder problems like mine over the past 30yrs just with that move.

Another thing that helped was going to see a surgeon - those dudes really know what they are talking about. Find one with a lot of experience. PT's are joke compared to them.

Only thing PT's know well IMO is how to identify what muscles need to be strengthened and giving good exercises to do just that.

YMMV of course. The best thing I could say is go see a surgeon before you do anything including the steroid injections.