Need Advice!!!

[reapergm]

So now I am officially in a world of sh*t!!! Although I have not gotten any word yet from my oso, I just found out I think I might not be able to go to OCS if I get in. Background- I was running on the streets near my neighborhood everyother day, 6-8 miles HARD! Come late june, my knees begin to hurt. Saw an ortho doc July1 and he told me to not run for a month, suspected tendonitis. Then to come back after 2 months of rest and let him know if it was healed. So I began running again after a month (like he said) on a track at a slow pace. After 2 miles, my knees have started to get sore. I go today to see him again, he tells me... 1) I need to get a bone scan to test for fractures, and an MRI to test for cartilage tears, and 2) (This is the crappy part)... if I get accepted to OCS that there is no way I should go. It is his professional opinion that I would not be ready for Oct, although Jan I should be.

So now I ask for advice! What the heck should I do. If I get accepted, I don't know how to give up the opportunity. But If I do go, I put myself in jeopardy of injury. What happens if I do decline an acceptance? Do I get to go to the January class? Would I have to reapply? Did anyone else have knee problems going into OCS? I know I have to get the bone scan... I cant go to OCS with a stress fracture, theyd send me home in seconds. But it really doesnt hurt that bad. After running a few miles, its sore, but its gone in an hour.

Anyone out there who can tell me what the heck I should do... Lemme know.

 

[jaerose]

Go tell your recruiter immediately! Then, if you're a good candidate and worth keeping (if they were going to take you for this date), the odds are that they'll understand and roll your date back so that you can be healed. They will probably wait to see what the doc says, though, because if it's a permanent problem then they won't want to fill a spot and have you be unable to go. Best of luck and I hope it's nothing major.

JR

 

[js]

jaerose says it how it is.... your recruiter will give you the best advice on what to do next.

When you go back to see this doc. I would urge you to speak to a very well recommended specialist. I have had many friends go in for knee ache and come out with un-needed surgery. The cases where things worked out the best many times on a second opinion they went and saw a knee doctor that specializes in sports based injuries. In other words many of his patients where professional sports players. These guys seem to have been the most strait shooters they understand that your knees are you your life so they will make proper recomendataions for you and not blow things out of porportion becuase they are scared of a law suite sometime down the road.

So basically always get a second opinion on these kind of border line problems espically if the pain in gone in 1 hr. I have been lucky about my knees. I just got to learn from the sideline as some of my friends where not so lucky.

Good luck! (I am not a doctor so take this as you take any other internet advice)

 

[stevew]

Here's what I think: If you turn it down and reapply it doesn't look good. Even though you will probably be asked to write a letter why you turned it down the first time and you do have an accpetable excuse, so that may help you. Also, you haven't taken the tests yet so you don't know what the results will be. Me personally, out of nowhere my ankles and knees start hurting from nothing in the middle of the day, comes and goes, I just think its because they are a little weak and I ignore it and it stops. yet I'm still running my 3 miles and feel fine. Wait till the tests come back and see what happens then, also go to another Dr. for a second opinion. Some Dr. make a big deal about nothing and others not a big enough deal when you think they should because they have seen this type of stuff many times before. Personally, if it were me, I would take the OCS slot and even if you do get injured in OCS they would just roll you date back to the next class, but at least you know you are in. Just my advice and I'm sure many would disagree with me.

-Steve

 

[perchul]

You have to get a second opinion, I agree with Steve about taking the OCS slot; unless it can prove to be a permanent problem take the slot if you get hurt at OCS it will be easier to get back in while if you turn it down now it may not be as easy.

 

[reapergm]

The thing Im wondering is what do they do during inprocessing. If I do get the acceptance and say f-it and go... are they going to check me when I get there? What kind of med checks do they do there? Ive busted my hump for a year now for a slot. Kids graduate OCS with alot worse than sore knees, if they can get through the training..., I dont want to back out and not accept a slot if I get one. I guess Ill just not worry about this at all now, until uncle sam and my oso give me word. Ill just swim and bike until that happens. -reaper
-hey one more thing... anyone know how leg weight lifting can do? is it positive or negative? or just too much impact?

 

[Nick]

the in processing medical in jrs was a breeze, the just ask you if you think you have any problems and take blood and piss samples, plus the shots if you dont bring your own record. the Sr.'s or bulldogs were geting the works done. im not sure which Company it was (echo i think, maybe someone knows) but it looked like a range of motion test or join articulation tests. so if youre going in as a plc jr., then the test arent hard to get thru.

 

[Spin]

Well ...as far as I know ..... to find all that stuff they have to do either a bone scan, MRI, or some other difficult test. Those tests take a while to do and I would doubt they would be doing something like that at OCS. To check every candidate would take for ever not to mention the cost.

 

[matthewbohman]

You might want to look into custom orthodics. I ran cross country in high school and during my second year I started getting a lot of knee pain. I went to a pediatrist and got orthodic inserts that corrected my pronation and aligned my knee joint correctly so it wouldn't get irritated. They were expensive, $300, but I've never had knee problems since.

 

[Franny]

I don't believe you are allowed to use orthotics in OCS... so if you do get them... keep that on the down/low. Definately look for a second opinion... I recently was kicked in the ribs by a horse... I had x-rays and nothing showed up... but I wanted to be safe with OCS being a posability.. one doctor thought I had minor fractures and wanted me to go for a bone scan... but another docotr told me to hold off. Three weeks after being kicked, I was back to running. On a side note: take a multi vitamin daily, and take Alieve about a half hour before you run, if you start again. Also, run on grass!

 

[punac]

First of all, if it is what you want and it is at all possible then take the navy's offer.

Usually when you increase you running too fast, too hard and too far, injury will follow.
Visit runner's world, they have excellent advice and programs to get you back to running after an injury.

If you get accepted and have enough time before your start date, which you should, then start your running program over from scratch. This time make sure you don't jump the gun. A training program that starts off slowly allows tendons to strengthen and bones to increase their density,as well as giving your muscles a chance to get stronger so that they can do their job which is absorbing the shock of impact that runnig delivers and in turn will save your bones.

Anyway, this advice worked for my chronic injuries and now not only do I enjoy running painfree but I experience no pain whatsoever except for the normal soreness one experiences when you increase your workout.

Good Luck

 

[rocco]

Reaper- as an athlete all my life and through college, let's just say I have seen my fair share of knee problems, so here are a few thoughts...
First of all, when you go to any doctor with your complaints, their first advice is invariably going to be to take X number of weeks off from running and see if it heals. You need to be adamant that you need a quicker solution as OCS is quickly approaching. A sports specialist will be more apt to come up with a better plan at this point. And with most knee injuries, when you return to running, the pain will immediately resume unless something has been done to correct the problem.
Second, unless there is a significant injury to the joint, ask the physician about a cortisone injection. The doc will go through a list of warnings about the possible long-term negative effects of these injections...including weakened cartilage in later life, etc. Keep in mind they HAVE to warn you of this, but do not be scared off as these side effects are extremely unlikely unless you have multiple injections in the same joint. Also note that this is NOT a numbing agent that will hide pain and allow you to damage the joint, something like a football player might be given to get through a big game. Rather, it is a steroid (not that kind) that significantly reduces inflammation and will most likely provide several months of relief, assuming you PT correctly and rehab your knees so the injury does not reoccur.
Finally, regarding rehab and PT, it is important to strengthen your legs and joints so that more injuries do not occur. Ask the doc to recommend a physical therapist and also get some advice from a personal trainer to make sure you are doing exercises properly. There are a whole host of problems that can arise from lifting incorrectly, but I believe it is a necessary part of training to compliment running.
Unless there has been some significant injury, such as a torn ligament, there is no reason why you should delay going to OCS. If you want to ask me more about these things feel free to private message me.

Rocco
(accepted to OCC 184 Ground)