Shoulder Surgery

[dakota440sixpack]

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post on this site, but I have been reading the information here for several months. I am currently in graduate school and it will take about 2.5 more years to finish my degree. I have recently become very interested in pursuing a career in the military (especially the SEALs). I had shoulder surgery in high school about 5.5 years ago to keep my shoulder from dislocating. The problem is the surgery didn't work and I dislocate my shoulder about 2 or 3 times a year. My shoulder just popped out again on Monday and I was thinking that I should get it fixed before I go into the military. I went to a doctor this week and he said the only way to fix it is to operate again. He also said they would have to put some screws in it this time. My question is this, is there anything I should do before the operation (paperwork, etc.) to give me a better chance at getting a waiver for it later on? Thank you for your time.

[PaulieP]

I curious about this issue too. I dislocated my shoulder a week after taking my PST this summer. PT is going good an doc says I shouldn't need the surgery. When does you shoulder pop out? (what activity?)

[dakota440sixpack]

Well in High School before my first operation I dislocated it many times playing football and wrestling. Since the operation I have popped it out numerous ways, usually playing some type of football or wrestling around with roommates. It can happen if I land hard on the ground but I have also done it swimming and a couple times sleeping. This last time I was playing flag football and I stretched out to pull the flag off and it popped out. I got the sack though. :) Whenever it dislocates I have had my elbow above my shoulder. Luckily I can put it back into place now myself and I don't need to go to the emergency room. The weird thing is I lift weights a lot and I have never had any trouble with my shoulder doing any of the exercises; bench, flys, pullovers, military press, pull-ups, etc. It always seems to dislocate at times you wouldn't expect.

[dakota440sixpack]

Since there have been so many views and no answers to this question, I called my local recruiter. He told me to make sure I have my doctor make a note in his pre-operation evaluation that the first surgery was ineffective. That way it doesn't look like I have huge shoulder problems because of multiple surgeries. Instead it shows that my first doctor did not perform the surgery correctly.