detailed knee question

[hogwild22]

Hello Marines, i ship off for Boot Camp in three months. February 8th, 2010.


I've been pushing myself lately to run more than 1 to 2 times a week lately and a problem has come up. I ran for four days in a row, I did 1.5 miles, then 2 miles, then 3 miles, then 1 mile. My left knee began to hurt after day two. I was able to run through the pain no problem.

I took two days off because of MEPS, passed MEPS and enlisted. Tonight was my first night of Poolee PT. My left knee didnt really ache till the very end of pt, but i still made it the whole way. Now it's killing me... I pretty much have to limp to walk on my left knee.

The pain is precisely in the lower left, outter part of my knee. If i push on the are that hurts I feel slight pain, maybe a about a two on a scale of one to ten. When i walk it's about a six to seven, and when i lift my left leg its about a solid seven of pain.

I dont feel like anything is torn, and there is no swelling. I looked at this diagram http://www.tuffrhino.com/v/vspfiles/images/knee.bmp and i believe it's my collateral ligament.

I've been on a diet of eggs/chicken/lettuce for a few days now. I'm hoping the protein will strengthen my ligaments and muscles.

What should I do? i need advice on the matter. I want to be a Marine badly, I dont wanna get to Boot Camp and pussy out because of a knee ache.

Thanks Marines.

[Lisa 23]

We're not Dr's here, so your best bet would be to go and see your family Dr and make sure everything is OK.

[awbrown1462]

have it checked out your no good to the Marines if it goes out at Boot Camp

[MontezumaCpl]

have it checked out your no good to the Marines if it goes out at Boot Camp

Definitely, definitely, definitely have it checked out. You will surely incur much more stress and pounding on your knees in Marine Corps Boot Camp, you want to be 100% when you start, you don't wanna get DQ'd on a injury.

Use some ice in the meantime and take it a little easy until you see your regular doctor. You can still work out in the gym and do some upper body exercises while you find out more on your knee. I slightly injured my left knee early in boot camp and it bothered me throughout recruit training. Don't let this happen.

[hogwild22]

Thanks Marines, I definitely need to see a physical therapist.

i'd like to see a doctor asap but i'm poor because of college. I'm gonna work on my upper body for a few weeks and let the pain subside and go from there.

[MontezumaCpl]

Don't they have a doctor on call at your college, most colleges do. Find out, visit the Student Health Center or Student Services and ask. Most campuses have the services of a doctor at least once a week. These services are usually free-included in your tuition and fees or are very cheap and flexible to make payments. Make an appointment and have 'em take a look at it. The last thing you want is to aggravate this to the point it will bother you in Recruit Training. There are many injuries that can and often do occur in Boot Camp, don't set yourself up to be one of them.

[slimmy07]

Definitely, definitely, definitely have it checked out. You will surely incur much more stress and pounding on your knees in Marine Corps Boot Camp, you want to be 100% when you start, you don't wanna get DQ'd on a injury.

Use some ice in the meantime and take it a little easy until you see your regular doctor. You can still work out in the gym and do some upper body exercises while you find out more on your knee. I slightly injured my left knee early in boot camp and it bothered me throughout recruit training. Don't let this happen.

Yes have it checked out, but PRIOR to that please call your recruiter. Do NOT go to the doctor till you do. This could mean that MEPS would want to see you again and you would need to get med docs for this injury etc. etc. Your recruiter needs to know NOW. Call him prior to anything else.

[Zulu 36]

Sounds like (note: I used to be a paramedic and I have had this problem several times - but I am not an orthopod):

tendinitis.

If so, the only cure is rest. Two to three weeks worth.

However, you need to see a doctor. A physical therapist is not a doctor. They may be able to give you a perfectly correct diagnosis based on their training and experience, but they are still not doctors and cannot legally diagnose or prescribe.

Meanwhile, apply the RICE principle, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. You only need to ice it off and on for a few days. After that add mild, moist heat in place of ice. This is merely a first aid remedy, not a long term therapy solution.

[hogwild22]

I saw a doctor today, they prescribed ibuprofen and rest. It's merely an overuse injury. more working out after a bit of rest should do the trick. I just hope this doesnt happen in Boot Camp.

I also got join juice, it's has a lot of glucosamine for joints

[Zulu 36]

I saw a doctor today, they prescribed ibuprofen and rest. It's merely an overuse injury. more working out after a bit of rest should do the trick. I just hope this doesnt happen in Boot Camp.

I also got join juice, it's has a lot of glucosamine for joints


I'm glad it isn't tendinitis. A few days rest and you'll be OK.

But guess what? If it happens in boot camp, you'll get EXACTLY the same treatment and meds. How 'bout dat?

Run and do lower body workouts every other day. Do your upper body workouts on the non-run days. That way you're doing something daily so you feel like you're going somewhere. A few weeks before boot camp, starting putting them all together on one day, and rest a day (I would still do stretches daily).

[hogwild22]

Thanks Zulu

[MontezumaCpl]

Aye, thats good news. I agree with Zulu, try to time your workouts to gradually build up the last few weeks before you go. Don't stress your knee or your body out in the last few weeks before you leave. It was a long time ago for me, but I was running 3 miles 3-4 times a week while in DEP and doing sit-ups/crunches and pullups pretty much everyday. But listen to your body, if you think you need a days rest do it. You will learn to listen to your body better and adjust your own PT as you spend more time PTing and exercising as a lifelong program. And always stretch. That is something you can always do daily.

Good luck!

[Trucrimsongold]

Get your doctor to send you to xray and have a orthepedic view your results. I have had knee issue's due to football injuries and the only constant that helps in the future provided there is nothing torn is keeping your weight down and taking various herbs for arthritis. but you are too young to worry about that now. get it checked before you start boot.