I was down for about 3 years for blood pressure and lower back problems going on and off DNIF with no flying time. Should have met an MEB but people wanted to see me fly again. I got everything under control and was allowed to fly again after eating like a vegetarian, running 2.5 miles a day instead of 1.5 miles, and steroid injections in my back. I went through IQT then started my mission qualification training for my jet. I pulled a muscle in my lower back after completing 7 rides in the jet. Then I was DNIF for two weeks. I went back to flying then I started to experience pain throughout my right leg. Pain that would wake me up at night. So I consult with the flight doctors and they ground me until they can evaluate me. I was taking 800 mg of ibuprofen 3 times a day for the pain. The flight doctor said it was Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) after my evaluation. I think I may have started jogging too early after my lower back injury which may have caused this temporary bout with ITBS.
ITBS is something runners and cyclists get when there is an overuse injury of tissues of the outer thigh and knee. The iliotibial band runs along the lateral or outside aspect of the thigh and is an important structure that stabilizes the knee as it flexes and extends. Inflammation of the IT band can occur as it crosses the femoral epicondyle on the lateral side of the knee joint. Iliotibial band syndrome is an overuse injury causing pain on the outside part of the knee especially during running when the heel strikes the ground. RICE and anti-inflammatory medications are first-line treatments.
So I am limping around the squadron and standing on one leg hurts. The doctors were going to let me fly because I begged them and I told them I had a deployment coming up. I realized I cannot hold down the rudder pedal for a significant period of time which will be required for a certain training ride. Otherwise I am good to do everything else. The doctors tell me if I'm taking 2-3 ibuprofen a day I shouldn't be flying and that's against the rules. They told me to not take any over the weekend and come back in two weeks. I was told I couldn't meet an MEB for ITBS.
After the weekend was over I knew I needed to let my leg heal. So I told the flight doctors to DNIF me because if I can't hold down the rudder pedal I cannot perform at the level necessary for a certain training ride to compete my training. And it's a safety issue when flying.
Since I can't do combat survival training right now I cannot deploy. ITBS is like an ankle sprain in my opinion and it will heal. I think my CC thinks ITBS makes me non deployable. When in fact I just can't complete any training until it heals or it will prolong the healing process. He basically told me I should endure the pain. I said to myself if I endure the pain how is the inflammation going to go down because I can't take motrin? I got a 99.3% on my last fitness test so I do run pretty hard at age 35 and I ran my 1.5 miles in 9:58.
I was told yesterday I might meet an MEB. My leadership needs to speak with the doctors in order to make this determination. Sounds like my CC's mind was made up. I think he is upset because I had to drop out of the deployment. I know MQT funding will be cut off after 1 October. I told him if my ITB heals I can still finish MQT and he made it seem like this is my last chance. One of the flight doctors had told me I can't meet an MEB for ITBS.
So what can I expect to happen to me? Can I meet an MEB for ITBS which will heal in a few days or weeks?
ITBS is something runners and cyclists get when there is an overuse injury of tissues of the outer thigh and knee. The iliotibial band runs along the lateral or outside aspect of the thigh and is an important structure that stabilizes the knee as it flexes and extends. Inflammation of the IT band can occur as it crosses the femoral epicondyle on the lateral side of the knee joint. Iliotibial band syndrome is an overuse injury causing pain on the outside part of the knee especially during running when the heel strikes the ground. RICE and anti-inflammatory medications are first-line treatments.
So I am limping around the squadron and standing on one leg hurts. The doctors were going to let me fly because I begged them and I told them I had a deployment coming up. I realized I cannot hold down the rudder pedal for a significant period of time which will be required for a certain training ride. Otherwise I am good to do everything else. The doctors tell me if I'm taking 2-3 ibuprofen a day I shouldn't be flying and that's against the rules. They told me to not take any over the weekend and come back in two weeks. I was told I couldn't meet an MEB for ITBS.
After the weekend was over I knew I needed to let my leg heal. So I told the flight doctors to DNIF me because if I can't hold down the rudder pedal I cannot perform at the level necessary for a certain training ride to compete my training. And it's a safety issue when flying.
Since I can't do combat survival training right now I cannot deploy. ITBS is like an ankle sprain in my opinion and it will heal. I think my CC thinks ITBS makes me non deployable. When in fact I just can't complete any training until it heals or it will prolong the healing process. He basically told me I should endure the pain. I said to myself if I endure the pain how is the inflammation going to go down because I can't take motrin? I got a 99.3% on my last fitness test so I do run pretty hard at age 35 and I ran my 1.5 miles in 9:58.
I was told yesterday I might meet an MEB. My leadership needs to speak with the doctors in order to make this determination. Sounds like my CC's mind was made up. I think he is upset because I had to drop out of the deployment. I know MQT funding will be cut off after 1 October. I told him if my ITB heals I can still finish MQT and he made it seem like this is my last chance. One of the flight doctors had told me I can't meet an MEB for ITBS.
So what can I expect to happen to me? Can I meet an MEB for ITBS which will heal in a few days or weeks?