Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 3/29/2010

Question
Hello Ms. Cynthia,
i was wondering if you know the chances of someone getting separated over a knee injure?
i got knocked to my knees in September and have been on and off LLD since then.my doctor told me it was an injure to the fat pad (Hoffa's fat pad)and said it would take a good while to heal, but I'm still worried its going to be an injure thats going to make me go home in which case i have worked too hard and come too far to go home empty handed.

Answer
Dear John --

If a knee injury cannot heal sufficiently for future military duty, a service member can be medically boarded and the board can recommend a medical discharge.

However, if your doctor says your injury can heal, and once healed you can serve fully, you should not have to be discharged.  You will have to follow doctor's orders and stay on your limited duty directive until healed.  You must comply with your doctor's appointments and you must carry out your physical therapy exercises.  When you are on a limited duty directive -- it is your mission to follow medical orders and heal.  Your chain of command cannot order you to do something that would put your injured limb in further jeopardy.  

As you near the end of a directive, you should see your doctor for an assessment of your progress before the limited duty directive expires.  Once a limited duty directive expires you usually have 90 days or twice the length of the LLD period in order to regain physical fitness -- whichever is SHORTER.  That is why it is so important to be assessed before your LLD expires.

Please keep working with your doctors to develop the right therapy for full recovery, especially if you are certain you want to continue in the military as a career.

Please write back, if you have additional questions.  Thank you for your service.