ACL reconstruction: officer application

[tearsbeforebedtime]

I'll be honest I have no idea who Carl is, don't care. If he is some sort of 'sleb or whatever then this may have been mentioned on his 203 for PR purposes. I think it unlikely. It will more likely down to dates of the initial application and med process. If he was pro, whatever, in 2016, remind me how much of your time the application has taken up of your time so far. The reserves is, after all, supposed to fit around your normal job.

As for you? Well you've been told the current stance regarding your med issue, best of luck with the appeals. If you have sold yourself well to your unit they will most likely go into bat for you otherwise, bare minimum. No point wasting time on a lost cause.

 

[joeg88]

He was a professional boxer. So I guess the question is the 203 is that the appeal process? I had previously applied to the RAF reserves however they arnt willing to budge at all on acl recon and thus any appeal is pointless. I have had different information on appeals in army, if one is successful does that mean you wouldn't be deployable? Thanks

 

[Señor_Chang]

He was a professional boxer. So I guess the question is the 203 is that the appeal process? I had previously applied to the RAF reserves however they arnt willing to budge at all on acl recon and thus any appeal is pointless. I have had different information on appeals in army, if one is successful does that mean you wouldn't be deployable? Thanks

Reference my last.

 

[joeg88]

Reference your last in response to applying. I will apply it's just a long process until get to the stage of finding out, was only trying to get a little bit of info on how appeals work. Just wasted a year and money on RAF application which in end turned out to be pointless as was always no hope of appeal

 

[Señor_Chang]

Reference your last in response to applying. I will apply it's just a long process until get to the stage of finding out, was only trying to get a little bit of info on how appeals work. Just wasted a year and money on RAF application which in end turned out to be pointless as was always no hope of appeal

It is what it is. Good luck to you.

 

[Cheese0397]

Hi everyone,
I applied to join 4 para when I was 18 in 2015 and was going to do the reserves until I got my plumbing qualifications then join the regulars, but when I was 11 I had to have ACL surgery after injuring myself playing rugby. I completed selection weekend with ease and am a very fit person, but after I had to see a specialist who said he wasn’t going to let me in, I then spent just over 2 years fighting to be able to join, I’ve had appeal letters lost been told I’m allowed to join and was given my service number and then after a few letters I got a final one which said I’m not being allowed in unless I have a special skill, is there anything I can do to get around this decision like re do all the application process? Or will this be a waste of time?

 

[DocSavage]

Cheese0397
ACL injuries at that age are normally where the tendon pulls off the bone rather than rupturing. If it was fixed back down and healed normally that is the same as healing after a fracture and you may be passed fit to serve. You will have to get hold of your medical records or confirmation if possible of exactly what your injury was and the treatment. I would try and get hold of that and use it as the basis of an appeal

Specifically the usual injury is known as an avulsion of the ACL or avulsion of the tibial spine in kids and the tendons are usually not injured in this mechanism

I am not able to answer any personal messages on these questions as I am a surgeon involved in screening military recruits and I may be involved in any appeal you send in

 

[9370]

Cheese0397
ACL injuries at that age are normally where the tendon pulls off the bone rather than rupturing. If it was fixed back down and healed normally that is the same as healing after a fracture and you may be passed fit to serve. You will have to get hold of your medical records or confirmation if possible of exactly what your injury was and the treatment. I would try and get hold of that and use it as the basis of an appeal

Specifically the usual injury is known as an avulsion of the ACL or avulsion of the tibial spine in kids and the tendons are usually not injured in this mechanism

I am not able to answer any personal messages on these questions as I am a surgeon involved in screening military recruits and I may be involved in any appeal you send in

Slight thread drift, apologies, but on the basis of your occupation, is Freiberg infraction an automatic bar to entry or are there any circumstances where it would be ok( proof of training, running etc?)

 

[Joeock3]

Gents
Sorry to rain on the parade but the regulations have just changed. As of November 2015 NO candidate who has had ACL rupture or repair/ reconstruction will be considered fit for service. The rules used to allow people to join under limited criteria as listed above (quote from JSP 950) but the reconstructed entrants did not do as well over time and sustained higher drop out rates.

As of now if you have had ACl reconstruction you will not be allowed to join and appeals will not be successful via the medical chain.

You can send as much info as you like from a civpop surgeon but it is all irrelevant I'm afraid.

I suspect someone will at some point find a link to the updated JSP 950

Hi there just been looking through this as I’m wanting to join when I finish college next year but had my acl reconstructed when I was 14 and it’s fine now back training and playing football 5 times a week but would you suggest not even wasting my time trying to apply and get in or is there some what chance
Cheers
Joe

 

[heinz59]

This thread makes me feel a little concerned about my application because in the past 10 years I’ve had my knee hyperextend three times (no damage I’ve had xrays after all 3 incidents)
Would I better getting in contact and saying to stop my application?

 

[olafthered]

This thread makes me feel a little concerned about my application because in the past 10 years I’ve had my knee hyperextend three times (no damage I’ve had xrays after all 3 incidents)
Would I better getting in contact and saying to stop my application?

If you stop the application then no chance of getting in. If you wait and see then still a chance....your choice...

 

[heinz59]

If you stop the application then no chance of getting in. If you wait and see then still a chance....your choice...

There was no damage from the incidents, they was just freak happenings, I get sent to selection years ago with one case on my medical records but three seems like pushing it.

I just don’t want to waste their time if I’m going to be graded p8.

 

[rich100001]

I think I'm going to speak to my consultant and get some further clarification on what operation I had; for instances whether it was a full or partial rupture. I'll also gain some further medical evidence from himself and address the points highlighted in the JSP.

Hi Fidge. Have a very similar situation, just wondered, did you manage to get anywhere in the end?

Thanks,
Rich.

 

[rich100001]

Been through the exact same thing, I basically had to get referred to a specialist orthopaedic surgeon in the army, or something, to be assessed in addition to the normal medical. For AOSB I was allowed to attend it all, but before RMAS I had to have seen the specialist. I honestly think there is a bit of luck about it, as I know others who have been rejected repeatedly, and others who never had any of it picked up at all. Others still who had friends who were regarded as important who got them seen originally by a specialist which saved them more time... Just get all the evidence you need, and get your CSM to fight your corner. I told them I'd been rowing and playing rugby etc all the time and had no issues. Definitely feel that helped. It is a ballache and can take months though, so be prepared for the appeal process being shit!

Hi Defensive Woof, same question to you, if that's ok? Sounds like you managed to make some progress? Have you got any tips please?

Thanks,
Rich.

 

[Newtomedical]

JohnA6
Sorry, I have been away from the forum for a bit. The rules are fairly clear regarding complete ACL rupture ie no way can you join. Partial tears with full recovery may allow you to join.If you can get back to fitness without surgery it may work for you but if you have a knee injury, best advice is find a good knee surgeon and do what he/she says - worry about army service after getting the knee sorted.


The official wording is as below (P8 = unfit military service, P2 or L2 = Fit to serve)

49. Knee ligaments.
a. Candidates with any history of complete Anterior or Posterior Cruciate Ligament rupture whether managed conservatively or surgically are graded P8L8.
b. Candidates with a history of partial tears of the Anterior or Posterior Cruciate Ligament are to be referred to the sS Occupational Physician responsible for the selection of recruits.
c. Candidates with a history of partial of complete rupture of any other knee ligaments are to be referred to the sS Occupational Physician responsible for the selection of recruits
d. Candidates with slight laxity of the ACL or other ligaments without a history of injury and without any loss of function may be graded L2.

Hope this helps

Hi doc I’m new here and currently going through an appeal , I had a partial tear on my acl but when the surgeon started surgery he noticed it was just a tiny bit of damaged tissue which he told me after surgery, I’ve been clear 26 months with no problems and I walked out of hospital straight after surgery and done 4/5 months physio and haven’t had any problems since , would I be ok to still join I’m currently getting all my appeal paperwork together

 

[DocSavage]

Hi. It all depends on exactly what is stated in your medical records and hospital records. Partial tears are ok so you should in theory be ok

 

[Newtomedical]

Thank you for replying , in my medical records before any surgery he put on my notes full reconstruction but going into surgery he noticed it wasnt what he thought and he saw it was only a partial tear and he put only partial tear in my notes and not a full reconstruction , he is also writing me a appeal letter saying it was only a partial tear and mentioning how I made a full recovery through my physio and that I’m back to a high standard of fitness.
I have my physio sending me my records too to show how quickly I recovered and all my physio classes that I took.

 

[Newtomedical]

Hi. It all depends on exactly what is stated in your medical records and hospital records. Partial tears are ok so you should in theory be ok

Hi doc , I’ve sent my appeal off and I had a quick read through before I sent it off , it states on it that the diagnosis was a partial tear of the acl , and previous arthroscopic debridement, will this still be ok to join?

thanks doc

 

[DocSavage]

As above if the record says partial tear then you may be ok. You may need to see a military specialist to confirm it is on though which can add time to the application
Good luck

 

[Newtomedical]

As above if the record says partial tear then you may be ok. You may need to see a military specialist to confirm it is on though which can add time to the application
Good luck

Ok , Thank you