Army basic training - Medical discharge. What next?
Discussion
My son who is 19 started his basic training at Catterick coming up to 2 weeks ago.
He had a shin splint problem flare up and was referred to their physio and doctor which has unfortunately resulted in his discharge yesterday and he will be coming home after this coming weekend by the looks of it.
Question is …
He is really keen to continue a military career but what is the process for him getting back in? Will it be a full new recruitment application again? Or will he be able to state an intent to rejoin again asap upon discharge?
What kind of timelines are generally involved in these circumstances?
We aren’t a military family and he is the 1st one to sign up so it’s all new to me and I have no idea as to what’s involved.
He had a shin splint problem flare up and was referred to their physio and doctor which has unfortunately resulted in his discharge yesterday and he will be coming home after this coming weekend by the looks of it.
Question is …
He is really keen to continue a military career but what is the process for him getting back in? Will it be a full new recruitment application again? Or will he be able to state an intent to rejoin again asap upon discharge?
What kind of timelines are generally involved in these circumstances?
We aren’t a military family and he is the 1st one to sign up so it’s all new to me and I have no idea as to what’s involved.
I dont know your military answers but I am a distance runner and have always suffered from Shin Splints . Back in 2005 at the age of 36 the damage developed into a full blown broken leg after a minor trip . !
It took me about two to three years in the gym to rebuild (I did go home for tea every night ! )
I still run 4 to 5 miles most days but I keep a close eye on it and continue with the strengthening exercises but sadly for your boy it might be a lifetime curse
It took me about two to three years in the gym to rebuild (I did go home for tea every night ! )
I still run 4 to 5 miles most days but I keep a close eye on it and continue with the strengthening exercises but sadly for your boy it might be a lifetime curse
ChocolateFrog said:
I think that's it, they're quite risk averse these days.
A medical discharge 10 years down the line would cost the MOD quite a lot of money.
Think or know?A medical discharge 10 years down the line would cost the MOD quite a lot of money.
From the brief phone call I had with him last night it doesn’t sound as though the doctor has specifically noted shin splints as the reason for discharge, I believe it’s down as a more general initial medial failure? I will find out more when he comes home hopefully.
Ironically they have calmed down again once he stopped doing PT and he is absolutely fine now.
airsafari87 said:
ChocolateFrog said:
I think that's it, they're quite risk averse these days.
A medical discharge 10 years down the line would cost the MOD quite a lot of money.
Think or know?A medical discharge 10 years down the line would cost the MOD quite a lot of money.
From the brief phone call I had with him last night it doesn’t sound as though the doctor has specifically noted shin splints as the reason for discharge, I believe it’s down as a more general initial medial failure? I will find out more when he comes home hopefully.
Ironically they have calmed down again once he stopped doing PT and he is absolutely fine now.
I've never heard of a recruit (or soldier for that matter) that's been medically discharged and then rejoined thr regular Army. Know a few that have joined the Reserves.
Usually you'd be kept in for rehab and physio if they intend on keeping you.
Didn't he ask the question when he was discharged?
That's just the way it goes sometimes. It's heartbreaking but unfortunately once you have a problem that isn't likely to get better, it will only get worse the further into a military career you go.
Basic training is quite a light workload compared to when you get into your unit.
I had a couple of problem with my knee, Plica Syndrome and Iliotibial Band Syndrome.
When doing PT/carrying weight or on exercise for prolonged periods it caused quite severe pain. It wasn't too bad after resting and would be fairly normal when not doing extreme physical activity.
I had a choice to be medically discharged or have it operated on with equal chances that it could get better/stay the same or even get worse after the op.
I chose to have the operation and unfortunately it actually got worse than before and I then had (still have) have near permanent pain.
8 months after the operation with no improvement, I was medically discharged.
A number of guys I served with had some form of shin splints at different times of their service, the lighter cases could be managed with no real issue, a couple had operations to remove some tissue around the shin and others were medically discharged.
Once the decision is made it's very unlikely to be reversed and whilst not impossible to re-apply further down the line and be successful, it is very rare that it would happen.
Basic training is quite a light workload compared to when you get into your unit.
I had a couple of problem with my knee, Plica Syndrome and Iliotibial Band Syndrome.
When doing PT/carrying weight or on exercise for prolonged periods it caused quite severe pain. It wasn't too bad after resting and would be fairly normal when not doing extreme physical activity.
I had a choice to be medically discharged or have it operated on with equal chances that it could get better/stay the same or even get worse after the op.
I chose to have the operation and unfortunately it actually got worse than before and I then had (still have) have near permanent pain.
8 months after the operation with no improvement, I was medically discharged.
A number of guys I served with had some form of shin splints at different times of their service, the lighter cases could be managed with no real issue, a couple had operations to remove some tissue around the shin and others were medically discharged.
Once the decision is made it's very unlikely to be reversed and whilst not impossible to re-apply further down the line and be successful, it is very rare that it would happen.
I think you’re going to need written reports giving the all clear from multiple reputable doctors. And then the army doctors might just ignore it still.
I’ve gone through the joining process recently and my medical was delayed many months and with lots of data reports having to be provided from the surgeon and that was just for a routine surgery (laser eye). Can imagine it’s magnitudes more difficult or impossible if there was a discharge involved.
Arrse forums will be your best bet to ask the question.
I’ve gone through the joining process recently and my medical was delayed many months and with lots of data reports having to be provided from the surgeon and that was just for a routine surgery (laser eye). Can imagine it’s magnitudes more difficult or impossible if there was a discharge involved.
Arrse forums will be your best bet to ask the question.
CraigyMc said:
Medical discharge could be a blessing depending on how things go in Eastern Europe anyway.
That's a pretty crass thing to say. To the OP. The discharge paperwork should make it very clear what the situation is. It seems very early for a medical issue to have emerged to that extent, but it's all a bit wacky races in basic. If the situation is as you understand it, his chance of getting back in the Regular Army seems very low. What a disappointment for you both.
Rotaree said:
If he's keen on a military career but not specifically the army it might be worth trying the Navy or the RAF. Depending on the specialisation, neither of those are as focussed on carrying heavy weights over long distances so tend to be easier on the shins.
My thoughts too.I don't know about the army side however I suffered horrendously from shin splints from the age of 18 to 21. I could play football for an hour but it would be very painful by the end and I couldn't run any sort of distance in trainers away from football. I had 6 months of complete rest (no exercise that could impact shin splints) and I was completely fine and I now run ultramarathons etc and have done since I was 23 or so.
Did he pass his initial entry medical when he got to Catterick?
If so we normally try to rehab for quite a while for a functional problem like exercise related leg pain, and he would have had 84 days prior to being discharged. It may be a bit more complex, for instance if a recruit is unhappy, or unsuited they may be discharged earlier if they are injured as they are unlikely to do well.
The discharge paperwork will be really clear, and he will have been given clear direction.
If he wishes to reapply he can do. He is likely to need to appeal as will probably be failed at the recruitment stage, but if he can show he has been symptom-free for a good period (maybe 6 months or more), while doing arduous exercise without provoking his symptoms then he is likely to get through on appeal.
If so we normally try to rehab for quite a while for a functional problem like exercise related leg pain, and he would have had 84 days prior to being discharged. It may be a bit more complex, for instance if a recruit is unhappy, or unsuited they may be discharged earlier if they are injured as they are unlikely to do well.
The discharge paperwork will be really clear, and he will have been given clear direction.
If he wishes to reapply he can do. He is likely to need to appeal as will probably be failed at the recruitment stage, but if he can show he has been symptom-free for a good period (maybe 6 months or more), while doing arduous exercise without provoking his symptoms then he is likely to get through on appeal.
Rotaree said:
If he's keen on a military career but not specifically the army it might be worth trying the Navy or the RAF. Depending on the specialisation, neither of those are as focussed on carrying heavy weights over long distances so tend to be easier on the shins.
Moggie (Dave Morgan, Falklands veteran) was medically not classed as "A" for the RAF, so ended up instead in the fleet air arm, and ultimately ended up bouncing between the two services.knk said:
Did he pass his initial entry medical when he got to Catterick?
If so we normally try to rehab for quite a while for a functional problem like exercise related leg pain, and he would have had 84 days prior to being discharged. It may be a bit more complex, for instance if a recruit is unhappy, or unsuited they may be discharged earlier if they are injured as they are unlikely to do well.
The discharge paperwork will be really clear, and he will have been given clear direction.
If he wishes to reapply he can do. He is likely to need to appeal as will probably be failed at the recruitment stage, but if he can show he has been symptom-free for a good period (maybe 6 months or more), while doing arduous exercise without provoking his symptoms then he is likely to get through on appeal.
No.If so we normally try to rehab for quite a while for a functional problem like exercise related leg pain, and he would have had 84 days prior to being discharged. It may be a bit more complex, for instance if a recruit is unhappy, or unsuited they may be discharged earlier if they are injured as they are unlikely to do well.
The discharge paperwork will be really clear, and he will have been given clear direction.
If he wishes to reapply he can do. He is likely to need to appeal as will probably be failed at the recruitment stage, but if he can show he has been symptom-free for a good period (maybe 6 months or more), while doing arduous exercise without provoking his symptoms then he is likely to get through on appeal.
He’s been there for just under 2 weeks now and the shin splints reappeared a day or 2 before the medical. He still continued with some of the training elements but he wasn’t taking part in PT sessions I believe?
I know he wasn’t unhappy because the couple of times I had been able to speak to him on the phone he was really chipper and upbeat, he’s very much like myself in that he is completely unable to mask his emotions so if he was unhappy I’d have known as soon as I spoke to him so I am confident there is no issue with him not settling in and using the shin splints as an excuse to get out.
I’m going to try and call him again tonight and I’ll pass on a few of the points that have been raised here and like you say, once he gets his discharge papers we should hopefully have a clear direction of what’s next.
Good call on the Navy or RAF as potential options too.
So he was found unfit on entry?
Best advice would be to rest until the pain settles then do a graduated strength and mobility program, build slowly up through a walk/run program and then make sure he can cope with a representative level of exercise so he is in a good place to start training. He should speak to his recruit candidate manager as he may be able to return without going through the full recruitment process.
But no point unless he can cope with the level of activity.
Help from a musculoskeletal physio would be good, who is used to dealing with MTSS (which this most likely is).
Phase one training is gentle and progressive so if he has struggled at the start he should really think about his preparation.
It does not get any easier once you are through training.
The RN and RAF are very different to the Army, in job and ethos, but could be good options with less physical demands if he is keen.
Best advice would be to rest until the pain settles then do a graduated strength and mobility program, build slowly up through a walk/run program and then make sure he can cope with a representative level of exercise so he is in a good place to start training. He should speak to his recruit candidate manager as he may be able to return without going through the full recruitment process.
But no point unless he can cope with the level of activity.
Help from a musculoskeletal physio would be good, who is used to dealing with MTSS (which this most likely is).
Phase one training is gentle and progressive so if he has struggled at the start he should really think about his preparation.
It does not get any easier once you are through training.
The RN and RAF are very different to the Army, in job and ethos, but could be good options with less physical demands if he is keen.
Lad I was in RM training with left due to shin splints and said "f
k it I'm gonna join the Navy" and 13 years later I walked into the gym and there he was as an RN PTI.
Said he'd initially joined as an air tech as it had the least amount of waiting time and pretty much jumped straight over.
k it I'm gonna join the Navy" and 13 years later I walked into the gym and there he was as an RN PTI.Said he'd initially joined as an air tech as it had the least amount of waiting time and pretty much jumped straight over.
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