Concerned about passing military entrance physical...

[Job83]

Hi, I'm new here. Nice to meet all of you!

I know there are quite a few nurses with military backgrounds around here. Thought I would share my thoughts on what I'm looking into.

I am about to graduate from a BSN program in December. I may begin my career with the Navy. I always wanted to join the military, I wanted to join right out of high school but went to college instead. I deferred the idea indefinitely until a recruiter called me out of the blue two nights ago and got this old course of thought going again. This is for an officer's commission. I'm starting to get my hopes up.

I have some knee trouble. My R knee gets swollen and slightly painful when I run on it. It is the result of squatting too much weight and crashing on it too many times when I was a kid. I can't keep a running/jogging routine with it. There is significant crepitus when I extend it (one can hear it in a quiet room). In no way does it stop me from working, completing ADLs, and I walk 3-4 miles on it q day at fast pace. I occasionally start cycling regimens where I ride 12-15 miles/over one hour three-five times/week when time and weather permits. So it does work, but it can't do every type of exercise I ask it to do.

I also have a slipped tendon in L elbow. You can see it move over my medial epicondyle when I flex and extend my arm when it is held at the side of my head. I do push-ups 1-2 times week with push up bars and use wall-mounted resistance pulleys to exercise chest and arms. Again, no ADL/work trouble to speak of, but doing hundreds of push ups day in/day out will mean trouble due to repetative stress.

I also used an inhaler before adolescence. I assume this is no problem.

So, what do you all think I will hear when I take the physical a few weeks from now?

[Roy Fokker, BSN, RN]

moderator note:

thread moved to military nursing forum, given relevence to subject matter.

thanks,

roy

allnurses.com modertor

[Gennaver, MSN]

Hi, I'm new here. Nice to meet all of you!

I know there are quite a few nurses with military backgrounds around here. Thought I would share my thoughts on what I'm looking into.

I am about to graduate from a BSN program in December. I may begin my career with the Navy. I always wanted to join the military, I wanted to join right out of high school but went to college instead. ...I also used an inhaler before adolescence. I assume this is no problem.

So, what do you all think I will hear when I take the physical a few weeks from now?

Hello Job83,

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation!!

I am in a similar situation somewhat yet I will not graduate until June 2007 and am applying for the Army Nurse corps.

What I have heard is that asthma that was before the age of 13 will not keep you out. In regards to the other issues I have heard repeatedly that when you go to Meps for the physical, (and this is from the Meps website) it is not the time to dig for second opinions from their doctors because whatever is mentioned there will need to be documented and previous documentation will be needed in order to clear). So, if you have a documented injury that requires a waiver, you need to have that listed and the doctor will need to release the paperwork stating that the injury will not prevent you from performing PT, (or something ,not 100% sure). If you knee will not stop you from running and you are able to run, then I'd say you are able to run yet, if it is a serious injury that has you debilitated and you cannot run for your OBC training and to pass the APFT, (Army physical fitness test) I am clueless.

I don't have the Meps website url handy but if you do a search for it you can read their own advice, really, i do not think they want to eliminate more people than they absolutely have to yet, some things will d/q people beyond waiver.

Hopefully more military nurses will come along with better advice, good luck!

Gen

[Corvette Guy]

JOB83, send DanzRN [LT Dan] a PM. He would know best about Navy PT requirements.

Good luck!