Knees!

[squatrrs]

I am always reading about people and their feet taking a beating at OCS, but not their knees. It would seem as though that knees would be extremely prone to injury with all of the running in boots, with added weight, and just standing all day long. I feel pretty comfortable about my feet, but my knees tend to get sore and swollen at times. Any thoughts, tips, or suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,

 

[Banjo33]

It seems 90% (not a solid number) of the injuries are to feet, ankles, and the lower fib/tib (stress fractures/shin splints). I don't recall any knee injuries. Best advice I can offer is plan on using the ice every night.

 

[farkle84]

you can request ice from the Corpsman at the end of the day. but trust me, i felt confident about not hurting my feet, and dammit i got blisters and rolled my ankle. overall, go hard but just be careful at the same time.

 

[squatrrs]

You can get ice and they don't mind! Did you use moleskin for your feet, and did it help?

 

[farkle84]

yes you can get ice. i used some moleskin. and yeah it works. just have to work through some pain and wait for liberty. sleep with your socks off.

 

[Jonathan Williamson]

Originally posted by farkle84
you can request ice from the Corpsman at the end of the day. but trust me, i felt confident about not hurting my feet, and dammit i got blisters and rolled my ankle. overall, go hard but just be careful at the same time.

Good advice thanks...
I am confident about not getting an injury but from what I hear you really gotta stay on the ball down there to avoid it.

 

[farkle84]

you do, especially in the pond and on the o-course. you may think you are doing everything right, but one slip and there goes an ankle or foot, whatever. i rolled my ankle on the big pond at the end of the endurance course, everyone was easing their way into the pond and i wanted to get a good time, so i jumped in there and when i came down, slipped on some mud and the right ankles just rolled in. with three weeks left there is nothing left to do but tougher injuries like that out and just ice it and rest it on liberty. good luck

 

[Banjo33]

You've also got to watch out on the Fartlek courses. I've twisted an ankle and split my head (long story) on one of those. Not to mention the humps (oh dark thirty humping through the "Quantico highlands").

 

[Dave Shutter]

Make no mistake..your knees are gonna take a beating, but the lower extremities take the blunt of the stress, hence the more injuries. I had knee surgery about a year before OCS (My app. went nowhere for six months before and after the surgery-sucked) and they killed me. I developed a low impact stride from one of the hardcore athletes and that kept it from getting too bad but my shins were the real pain. Get used to running on asphalt, a lot, all you can do really.

 

[jaerose]

How do you develop a 'low impact stride?' Any tips, or do you know of a website that would help...I'm a bulkier guy and carry quite a bit of muscle on my frame, so I'm really worried about impact ouchies from frequency.

JR