Quick Update

[armysc_25b]

I'm posting this here since I interface more often with the cadet population than anyone else. This is more so for me to help relieve a little stress than anything else, but it does share a story.

So for those who have known me for a minute, you know I've been talking about recovering from shin splints. On 1 October, I officially had my profile (basically a restriction on what I can physically do for the folk not in the know) lifted, putting me back at a PULHES of 111111 (meaning good to go physically with no issues). After that time, I started training myself to get back into shape to be able to pass the 2-mile run on the APFT, an event I had not done since July 2007. Everything had been going fine for me from that, aside from two things. One was I wasn't progressing fast enough (in my opinion), which leads me to believe (and others I've asked advice from) that I've lost a lot of the condition I had before I had to stop running to heal. The second issue was my foot numbing while running, which had never happened before. Thinking it was just my running form, and my (lack of) conditioning, I ran thru it for 2 months before it finally got to a point that I decided to have it medically evaluated.

This past Monday, I had that evaluation. The initial diagnosis is a pinched nerve in my L5 vertebrae. After reading up the last couple days, I see the symptoms have been there for a while... sore lower back, not able to stand for prolonged periods, numbness, & weak legs and ankles. I had the x-rays done Monday as well, however I won't see a medical professional about this again until early January when I'll probably find out just how bad it is.

I'm hoping (read assuming) that it's not all that bad, since it feels like all this stuff just started within the last 6 months (can't isolate a time frame, but I wouldn't put it past my time at WLC contributing). It's more a blow to my pride and my determination to be back in shape by 1 January than anything else really, but it's something I unfortunately will have to live with and recover from.

Add this to a laundry list of medical issues in my legs over a 3 and a half year tenure in the service, and some days I wonder how I'm still physically fit to serve (joking here). In all seriousness though, this does come at a bad time for me because of other issues I'm dealing with, and it's just stressing me out more than I need to be for someone who this time next week will be home with his family.

[navytrooper]

I seriously hope you get better, Specialist.

[SlightlyCatholic]

I'll throw a few prayers to the man upstairs for you...sounds like you're going through a rough time. You seem like a squared away Soldier, so I'm sure you'll be fine no matter what happens. Good luck and keep us posted.

[JohnP]

I'm posting this here since I interface more often with the cadet population than anyone else. This is more so for me to help relieve a little stress than anything else, but it does share a story.

So for those who have known me for a minute, you know I've been talking about recovering from shin splints. On 1 October, I officially had my profile (basically a restriction on what I can physically do for the folk not in the know) lifted, putting me back at a PULHES of 111111 (meaning good to go physically with no issues). After that time, I started training myself to get back into shape to be able to pass the 2-mile run on the APFT, an event I had not done since July 2007. Everything had been going fine for me from that, aside from two things. One was I wasn't progressing fast enough (in my opinion), which leads me to believe (and others I've asked advice from) that I've lost a lot of the condition I had before I had to stop running to heal. The second issue was my foot numbing while running, which had never happened before. Thinking it was just my running form, and my (lack of) conditioning, I ran thru it for 2 months before it finally got to a point that I decided to have it medically evaluated.

This past Monday, I had that evaluation. The initial diagnosis is a pinched nerve in my L5 vertebrae. After reading up the last couple days, I see the symptoms have been there for a while... sore lower back, not able to stand for prolonged periods, numbness, & weak legs and ankles. I had the x-rays done Monday as well, however I won't see a medical professional about this again until early January when I'll probably find out just how bad it is.

I'm hoping (read assuming) that it's not all that bad, since it feels like all this stuff just started within the last 6 months (can't isolate a time frame, but I wouldn't put it past my time at WLC contributing). It's more a blow to my pride and my determination to be back in shape by 1 January than anything else really, but it's something I unfortunately will have to live with and recover from.

Add this to a laundry list of medical issues in my legs over a 3 and a half year tenure in the service, and some days I wonder how I'm still physically fit to serve (joking here). In all seriousness though, this does come at a bad time for me because of other issues I'm dealing with, and it's just stressing me out more than I need to be for someone who this time next week will be home with his family.


L5 is part of the spine located at upper end of the lumbar. Pain and numbness from an injury to this area can eminate at the general location and radiate down either the left or right leg depending on which nerve is being compressed.

Treatment for this is usually heat, ice, an anti-inflamitory and most importantly, time. Spinal injuries can't be fixed completely, but you can overcome the inconviences of it. (I'm proof of it twice.)

How did the injury happen?

[armysc_25b]

How did the injury happen?

I wish I could isolate the timeframe, but in all honesty I can't. It could be from the ruckmarch, field time, and me pushing myself a bit harder than I had in the months prior while I was at WLC (June/July). It could've been when I got thrown off the tube out on the lake, hitting my back on water at speeds over 20 MPH (August thru October). If it was anything recent, it was all the moving I've done for myself and other people over the last couple months. Or maybe it's been there for a longer time but I didn't notice it since I wasn't doing anything as physically demanding as what I've done the last few months. Either way, I know it's there and though it sucks I'm working through it. All I have to say is that Aleve and Icy Hot are my new best friends.

[Drill for life]

I wish I could isolate the timeframe, but in all honesty I can't. It could be from the ruckmarch, field time, and me pushing myself a bit harder than I had in the months prior while I was at WLC (June/July). It could've been when I got thrown off the tube out on the lake, hitting my back on water at speeds over 20 MPH (August thru October). If it was anything recent, it was all the moving I've done for myself and other people over the last couple months. Or maybe it's been there for a longer time but I didn't notice it since I wasn't doing anything as physically demanding as what I've done the last few months. Either way, I know it's there and though it sucks I'm working through it. All I have to say is that Aleve and Icy Hot are my new best friends.

I hope you feel better and will be praying for you. Oreos and Milk are my best friends!!

[Buffa1oso1di3r]

Good luck 25B. I'll be praying for you.

[C.A.P. Flight Officer]

You will be in my prayers and I hope that you will not get too stressed out from this.

[armysc_25b]

I have no issues sharing updates about this condition, therefore, here's my update:

I saw the podiatrist yesterday. After doing a couple things and getting accurate info about how long things have been bugging me, him and another doctor have determined there's 3 possible issues at this point:

1) The before mentioned pinched nerve, for which he has scheduled me an appointment with ortho to do their thing with
2) Nerve issues in my left ankle, for which he has scheduled me an appointment with physical medicine to do some tests
3) A mix of both

Now, if it's anything in my ankle, since I'm already wearing corrective insoles for other problems, there is a good chance they'll have to go in and do surgery to loosen the nerves in my ankle. I should know more sometime in the next month or two depending on when I get in to see all the doctors.

[CAPSmith]

When I was 14, I had to have L2, L3 and L4 fused together. I had similar symptoms; difficulty standing for more than 5 minutes, numbness in both legs, tingling, back pain, muscle weakness, delayed nerve reaction, etc.

It turned out that L3 had slipped forward pinching my spinal cord to about 1/8 of it's original thickness. Sitting or laying down would allow the vertebrae to move back to its original position alleviating the symptoms.

The first doctor I went to told me that I would be fine with physical therapy and stretching. Second opinion was with the head orthopedic surgeon at Boston Children's Hospital. He told me that I literally possibly had weeks until my spinal cord was going to be severed. I was in surgery 2 days later.

Full recovery from surgery took 6 months and to this day I am unable to play full contact sports or other activities that could cause trauma.

All I can say is good luck.

[armysc_25b]

Well, the good news is I don't have any nerve damage, or back problems, which seemingly eliminates the possible worst case scenarios that were on the back of my mind at one point. The bad news is that we're still trying to figure out what the flippin problem is. I decided to let my profile lapse and am doing what I can for PT for the next couple weeks before seeing Podiatry again in hopes that maybe I can further gain an idea of what the problem is, what's causing it, and possibly try a couple things myself to see if it helps or makes matters worse.

The one thing positive that's come out of this whole situation is that it's driven me to stop procrastinating like I've done for the last 3 years and finally get into college. At one point the thought creeped into my mind that my days with the military may not end on my terms and that I need to prepare myself for that fact. Though I don't dwell on it, that thought did motivate me enough to get in college and do something that'll be beneficial to me no matter what happens. So if nothing else, at least I can say that I'm not wasting any of my benefits :D.

[Drill for life]

Well that's good. You have been in my prayers and you will be kept there.

That's good to here my friend.

[armysc_25b]

Is it a bad thing that the doctor's still don't know what's wrong with me? LOL

In all seriousness though, I saw the head of Podiatry on Tuesday, and after reviewing my records and all the tests they did and all the possible diagnoses they had they are not sure what the problem is, but they know what it isn't. They gave me a medicine which is supposed to do some neuropathic type stuff. In the meantime, I'm back on profile with instructions to not run anymore, and see what the medicine does.