Stress Fracture in Femur since basic training (over a year)

SpcThatGuy

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
In basic training I was diagnosed with a level 3 stress fracture. Unit pushed me to stay off temporary profile to take PT tests and such, but after successful PT tests or when the pain gets too bad I go in to the doctor, get a bone scan, and confirm it is still there, when it should have healed by this time last year. Never been sent to physical therapy, and not even in an extremely hooah unit, only do 3-5 mile runs 3 days a week, quarterly 5 mile ruck. Concerned if I don't press for a meb board it will end up breaking completely when we deploy. I have heard of medboards for stress fractures lasting over 6 months, but not sure what to do. Can't even find a rating for stress fractures, is a full fracture all they consider or something?
Pain continues to shins and feet, possible plantar faciitis, and all are present on one side, though one is worse than the other.

Any advice? Search of forums turned up little.
 
Are you seeing an Orthopedic Surgeon or your PCM? If it is not a Orthopedic Surgeon I would ask for a referral. If denied, talk to the hospital ombudsman.
 
Are you seeing an Orthopedic Surgeon or your PCM? If it is not a Orthopedic Surgeon I would ask for a referral. If denied, talk to the hospital ombudsman.
I have been seen by three different PCMs since arriving on post, each referring me to take a full bone scan confirming the problem still exists. They merely gave me temporary profiles, never gave physical therapy, and when I came off profile the unit pressured me to take a PT test pushing me to the point I was back at square one or worse. Pain beginning to spread to hips, to point I can't really run at all and walk with limp. Unit would like to chapter me out and are piling BS counselings, is there any defense from this? IG has not been helpful.
Currently scheduled for a physical therapist at the post main hospital, I will ask for another bone scan and referral to Ortho Surgeon. I imagine if they say no then I ask them to talk to the ombudsman? Or perhaps the reception desk. Thank you, most helpful advice I've received.
 
I think once you get to ortho the profile may change. Doing PT with a stress fracture of the femur sounds very painful. A femur break is very serious. When the femur breaks the large muscles in the leg spasm. This moves the sharp edges of the bone which can cut surrounding tissue, including nerves and vessels. Getting to ortho is important.
 
Had the same injury and it got worse. Now I'm dealing with a labral tear in my left hip loss of length in one of my legs, abnormal curve in my spine, bulging disc, and knee injuries as a result, not to mention the piercing pain and aching arthritis. Please see an Orthopedic Surgeon and get as much physical therapy as you need. Everyone seems to think a pelvic stress fracture is something minor but its really not. It threw my whole body's equilibrium off, one compensation after the other. I live with it but the older I get the worse it gets. It's been over 15 years since my fall and I'm just now starting to get the treatment I should have gotten long ago. Some things don't repair as normal without surgery. And all surgery is not successful. I never had surgery but might need an Arthroscopy for my left hip and right knee to clean things up. My unit was the same in pushing me out there to keep running on an injury. You need time for treatment and recovery. Push for prior to an MEB. When no one takes care of you, you have to take care of yourself. Continue to educate yyourself on your injuries and be very specific of your symptoms.
 
I have been seen by three different PCMs since arriving on post, each referring me to take a full bone scan confirming the problem still exists. They merely gave me temporary profiles, never gave physical therapy, and when I came off profile the unit pressured me to take a PT test pushing me to the point I was back at square one or worse. Pain beginning to spread to hips, to point I can't really run at all and walk with limp. Unit would like to chapter me out and are piling BS counselings, is there any defense from this? IG has not been helpful.
Currently scheduled for a physical therapist at the post main hospital, I will ask for another bone scan and referral to Ortho Surgeon. I imagine if they say no then I ask them to talk to the ombudsman? Or perhaps the reception desk. Thank you, most helpful advice I've received.
If you don't get a referral to Ortho, talk to the ombudsman at the hospital ASAP.
 
If you don't get a referral to Ortho, talk to the ombudsman at the hospital ASAP.
Thank you everyone for the advice and confirming this is as serious as I thought. I am going to sick call tomorrow, as the pain is starting to spread into my hip; I know sick call often only gets you seen by an enlisted nurse, are they capable of referring me to Ortho, or do I have to wait for my appointment with a PA? I would like to start this process as soon as possible so it doesn't get worse. Terrible to hear how it turned out for you, MiMi. Thanks again for the advice, if neither one refers me ortho I will contact the ombudsman, the way they have played hot potato with me because I don't understand the system is ridiculous.
 
If you don't get a referral to Ortho, talk to the ombudsman at the hospital ASAP.

Update on my situation: I talked to the Patient Advocacy just a few days after my last post after seeing my a primary care and them saying "Ortho cannot do anything for me because they cannot operate on me." so they sent me to Physical Therapy. The Patient Advocacy guy gave me the number of the director of the clinic, and I saw him in person... the result was getting told the same thing and being given calcium pills and a general blood test. Yesterday I followed up with another primary care after the physical therapy first lieutenant said I 'might' be referred to an ortho specialist if I still have a limp after walking on crutches for two weeks... which I'm pretty sure I will since it's lasted 18 months, and wasn't caused by deployment or anything.
Should I contact the Patient Advocacy again, just wait the two weeks and hope the first lt can convince my Primary Care (I do not have a static one as my previous is PCSing, so I keep seeing different ones) or...?
I was told that Patient Advocacy could help more as OMBUDSMAN is more specific to units getting in the way of care, PA is more about the medical portion? This is how things were described to me, and it seems like a more serious problem is in place if it's lasted 18 months and a specialist should help identify how to prevent it. I can't be the only one with such an experience, after all.
 
Bumping for advice. Orthopedics will not see me without a referral, but Podiatry will. I am going to do a walk-in to podiatry tomorrow to see if they can encourage referral or refer for themselves (why I can't get to see a specialist in the field after 18 months of these games is beyond me.
On crutches, but the pain at best stays the same, at worst... gets worse daily. Only PT I can really do is core and command team doesn't like the idea of me falling out on cardio days to go bike at a gym or swim despite it being the only viable alternative. (TBF incompetent Physical Therapy 1LT said he would specifically put that in the profile and he didn't.)
 
Do you have case manage? If not ask for one.
 
Do you have case manage? If not ask for one.

I did not even know about this being available outside of medboard processes, thank you for the suggestion! I do not, but I contacted the patient advocacy on getting one. My clinic is only now getting a new provider specific to us, but of course that means they will be dealing with a backlog of patients and seeing me for the first time. Hopefully when I do see them they will understand the process I am going through better, and I am actively working on getting a case manager.
The information you've shared on here helps so much more than the hear-say I get from other troops, thanks ChaplainCharlie.
 
I did not even know about this being available outside of medboard processes, thank you for the suggestion! I do not, but I contacted the patient advocacy on getting one. My clinic is only now getting a new provider specific to us, but of course that means they will be dealing with a backlog of patients and seeing me for the first time. Hopefully when I do see them they will understand the process I am going through better, and I am actively working on getting a case manager.
The information you've shared on here helps so much more than the hear-say I get from other troops, thanks ChaplainCharlie.
You are welcome. Stay in touch Mike
 
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