helpvet

 *****Under Construction*****

 Currently at 0% rating, no treatment or treatment plan.

In basic training, fractured both sockets of my hips, left socket worse than right socket. Didn’t show up on first x-rays, but MRI’s done at Fort Knox, KY that summer had fractures show up in both. Instead of “opting out” (some people would be recycled for injuries, but some with more severe training injuries would get out on disability. Though it would have secured a future for my new born baby and wife back at home, I didn’t enlist for just money or benefits…) I pressed on and managed to graduate with my class.

Of course there were long term issues I couldn’t work thru (popping of the hips, during certain exercises or rotations. Say if there were 60 rotations, my hip (one or both sockets) would (each) pop 60 times. Painful but not limiting). Fine and well by me, even went from straining to pass a PT test to top in the platoon running. That didn’t last though when the spinal injuries (and knee) came into play. Combined with the other injuries, hip problems have become debilitating all on their own.

The VA recognized the injury and rated it as 0% in 2007, but at the same time my spine was also rated at 0%, and took over a dozen appeals to correct. The hip injury is what I considered “a lesser injury” (spine has caused the worst and most persistently debilitating issues) and had full focus away from all other injuries until now.