Question
Hello Jim, hope all is well with you. My question is: I have been suffering from my knees a lot, pain, swelling etc. I served 7 years with the Active Army in the Infantry and 27 years in administration with the Army Reserve. During my reserve tenure I also participated in combat activities due to having to be combat ready. My doctor at the VA is telling me that my knee issues are based on being old and nothing else. I am 63 years old. In fact every problem that I mention to my doctor is always that I'm old. My father died at the age of 95 and he never suffered from is knees, my brother is 71 and the same.
Others that I know that are older than me do not suffer from their knees. Have you heard of the military maneuver referred to 3 second rush. That was a big part of my training in the infantry. I'm convinced that this is the cause of my knee issues. Is there any information linking the 3 second rush or other maneuvers to knee injuries? I'm also suffering from my back, hips, legs and he keeps telling me I'm old. Thank you.
Jim's Reply
Well, darn it, I happen to agree with your doctor. The fact that some relatives didn't have knee problems doesn't mean that your military service caused your issues...we're all different. No, I don't recall the "3 second rush" but I do recall a lot of brutal exercises that left me temporarily battered & bruised...none of which have any particular significance today. If your knees were injured in the military, you would have needed treatment from the time of the injury onward. To blame arthritic conditions of aging on our military service is much like blaming the bad cold we had during basic for the pneumonia we get when we're older...it just doesn't hold up as the cause. I'm 7 years older than you and my arthritis isn't getting any better. Good luck!
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