Pilot select with potential ligament tear

[Ill Destructor]

I had an MRI done yesterday on my right wrist. The report says I may have a ligament tear. I'm going to be meeting with my doc on Monday who is probably going to want me to get an arthrogram on the wrist. (I hear they're painful?) I am presently scheduled to attend BOT 08-01 at Maxwell sometime in late August and then on to UPT. I was told by my recruiter that breaking a bone may affect my position as a pilot select. So the question is, will having some reconstructive surgery on my wrist keep me from getting into UPT? I would think not assuming a full recovery, but thought I'd check with the flight docs here at Baseops.

EDIT: I just got off the phone with my doctor's staff and they say the recovery can take as long as 4 months which puts me into August, the time when I should be starting OTS. I assume that's the type of thing that will push back my start date.

Edited March 23, 2007 by Ill Destructor

[Ill Destructor]

Alright... No one with some advice. How about a different question? Should I look into getting the surgery now or should I wait until after OTS? There is a concern that something could go wrong with the surgery and I don't regain full motion of the wrist. I assume that would keep me from going to UPT, no? How is the Air Force about letting personnel use civilian doctors for surgery? And finally, if you were in my shoes, what would you do -- surgery before OTS or wait 'til after and run the risk of losing my pilot slot and ending up as a maintenance officer for four years?

[yerfer]

Alright... No one with some advice. How about a different question? Should I look into getting the surgery now or should I wait until after OTS? There is a concern that something could go wrong with the surgery and I don't regain full motion of the wrist. I assume that would keep me from going to UPT, no? How is the Air Force about letting personnel use civilian doctors for surgery? And finally, if you were in my shoes, what would you do -- surgery before OTS or wait 'til after and run the risk of losing my pilot slot and ending up as a maintenance officer for four years?

Things to think about;

1. If you wait till your out of OTS to get it fixed, it could get worse.

2. If you get it done before, check with the AF to see if a civilian doctor is acceptable.

3. If you don't have complete mobility after the healing process of the surgery, this could affect you flying period.

4. Be careful who you talk to. Opening your mouth could be a good or bad thing.

I hope some pilots in here will help you with this. Wish I could tell you more. Good luck with this. Keep me filled in how it all plays out.

Question, are you positive you have to get surgery? Can it not be fixed with physical therapy or just rest?

If you must get surgery, what is the procedure?

[yerfer]

I had an MRI done yesterday on my right wrist. The report says I may have a ligament tear. I'm going to be meeting with my doc on Monday who is probably going to want me to get an arthrogram on the wrist. (I hear they're painful?) I am presently scheduled to attend BOT 08-01 at Maxwell sometime in late August and then on to UPT. I was told by my recruiter that breaking a bone may affect my position as a pilot select. So the question is, will having some reconstructive surgery on my wrist keep me from getting into UPT? I would think not assuming a full recovery, but thought I'd check with the flight docs here at Baseops.

EDIT: I just got off the phone with my doctor's staff and they say the recovery can take as long as 4 months which puts me into August, the time when I should be starting OTS. I assume that's the type of thing that will push back my start date.

So from this it sounds like you have a ligament tear and a broken wrist? You wearing a cast or anything? Also, I'm assuming your staying away from any physical training that uses the wrist...

Sorry, just wondering.

Another thing. Be careful with surgery. The whole "full recovery" deal is usually not the case. As a climber I've seen broken wrists, ankles, torn tendons, pulleys, ligaments, etc. Usually full recovery through surgery doesn't happen. Whatever you do, stretch it out or the mobility will decrease greatly.

I'll share something with you. When I was 15 years old I got invited to Nationals for climbing. I was competing non stop and pushing it hard. 1 month after being home from Nationals, totally psyched on climbing I went outdoors with some friends and really messed up my shoulder. I couldn't lift my arm, period. I went to a surgeon to have him examine my shoulder. He told me I had a torn rotator cuff and that I would absolutely need surgery. I was devastated by this. I went home, thought about it, talked with buddies who did shoulder surgery and they all never fully recovered.

So I actually toughed it out and did 7 months of boring, tedious physical recovery. I actually came back stronger. My shoulder really healed up and I'm 100% now. 22 years old and I'm still climbing hard and feeling healthy.

I hope surgery isn't the only option for you.

Edited April 1, 2007 by yerfer

[brabus]

Having a broken bone or even surgery won't DQ you. Countless people have had broken bones and still gone to UPT (after the fact obviously). Countless people have had reconstructive surgery and gone to UPT. However, the biggest problem is range of motion. If you can't satisfy an AF doc at Brooks that your wrist's range of motion is ok, then you're sunk. I'm not a doc or anything close, but this is just what I've gathered from other's situations, hearsay, etc. I would check with an AF doc (contact the right person thru your recruiter??) and see what the AF's position on the particular procedure is. And I would also check w/ the AF to determine if you can go to any doc/hospital, or if they want you to do something specific. Don't just go to a random doc w/o asking, it could bite you in the ass down the road. Good luck man.

[Ill Destructor]

It's not broken and I can still use the wrist in most all situations. This includes pushups and the like. However, there is a pain associated with that sort of weight on the thing. Nothing bad, just not normal. The MRI said I MAY have a torn ligament. I'll be getting a more thorough and specific test done on it soon. I'll be able to make a better assessment then.

I appreciate the input a lot. Yeah, I'm careful who I talk to about this. I've asked the question of my recruiter and he said that he only needs to know something if I go through with the surgery. Otherwise I'm still going to the BOT class I'm currently assigned to. I currently work for a large orthopedic practice and get what I need at no cost... advice, injections, surgery if need be. Our hand specialist is an obsessive compulsive germophobe and I'd trust him with any surgery. Hence my question about civilian doctors.

But in the end, I'm currently thinking I'm going to pass on the surgery for the time being. However, this next test will better enable me to make a decision. Thanks again.

[Ill Destructor]

Update: It is a confirmed partial tear of my LT interosseous ligament. I'm meeting with my doctor on Monday to discuss options for treatment which could be anything from casting to arthroscopic surgery. A short cast is placed on the wrist for upwards of 6-12 weeks following surgery with the pins coming out as soon as a solid fusion of the torn ligament is shown on x-rays. Could this have happened at a worse time?!

Opinions? Surgery now and push back my entrance to the AF by six months or wait until after OTS for surgery?

[Guest redbaron19]

Need some advice. I don't have a ligament tear but what I do have is a healed incorrectly (possibly)/partially healed broken finger. I broke my left pinky finger 3.5 months ago playing Icarus at ASBC. I wore a splint for 6 weeks and as I was leaving maxwell, the doctor there said my finger was healing fine and I could start taking the splint off and getting some strength/movement back in the finger. I have been through IFS, done my FC II for UPT and am supposed to start class on Oct 27 for 11-02. I never told the doctors here about it because I got the OK at Maxwell and at the time of my physicals, my finger was still getting better. It seems now, that my healing process has reached a plateau. My finger is still stiff and there is a slight bulge in the lower knuckle that is not on my other pinky finger. I have full range of motion of the finger but it hurts (slightly) and is definitely not as strong as my other pinky finger. Do I fess up and go get xrays here? Can I wait a year for UPT to be over or is it possible that waiting a year might damage my finger past a point of repair?

[Guest redbaron19]

Answer to my own question. I talked to a doc and he said no big deal. Fingers can take up to a year to stop hurting/being stiff.