Back brace at basic
 

What is the Navy policy on things like back braces at basic?

I had a sprain in high school, and I am concerned that if I somehow managed to sprain my back again due to a poorly executed lift that they would somehow think it was some sort of chronic issue.

It seems doubtful. Be completely, totally upfront about this going through the recruiting process and let the Navy decide. You might get medical DQ or have to get waivers, but better that than to get in and have or be in trouble.

I would be shocked if you were aloud to wear one, I'm very surprised you were even able to enlist... That is assuming you told them about it.

I have not enlisted yet, but the back injury was not severe, just a sprain. I fixed it with PT years ago. I even have official documentation showing that it was a normal sprain.

I explained it to my recruiter and he said as long as there was no surgery or major injury (like an exploded disk) then it should not matter. He said to be sure to include it in the paperwork, but since it is from about 8 years ago with no further problems it should not be an issue.

As someone who has had a major back injury in the navy, I'd highly advise you to seriously consider the possibilities. Count on your back getting worse not better in the navy.
Ship life can be very hard on the body, especially the back. You'll frequently be going up and down ladders, lifting heavy objects, and walking on uneven/moving surfaces.

In my personal opinion, you need to be able to work out, stand for long periods, and just get through the day without wearing a brace.

My mom is a PT and when I told her about this she said she wouldn't say that requiring a back brace is "no further problems" and that if you are feeling pain still from it you should consult your doctor and possibly consider more PT as it's not healed fully/correctly.

There is absolutely no way you'll keep that. You're gonna strip right in front of them the first night and they're gonna see that big bulky thing. And there would be no way to store it properly in your rack (it'll take up majority of your personal draw). Sorry, but there's no way you can bring it there.

I suppose I was still not being clear on this.

First by back brace I mean an under-clothes brace like what you might put on your knee.

Second, sorry Kgard I was definitely not clear. I dont "require" a back brace.

This was a sprain that happened 8 years ago. I treated it with PT then and it has been more or less fine.

As it stands, I currently work as a bartender, so I am on my feet for 6-7 hours without break, standing on uneven rubber mats and moving around a few dozen cases of beer and wine every day. I get through this without even a little soreness or pain probably 95% of the time. It is just every now and then if I am slouching for too long, I start to develop a throbbing soreness in my lower back. Usually just taking a moment to stretch and move around, bend around, and maybe in the worst scenarios take a seat for a minute is more than enough to get things back on track.

If my PT from high school is any indication, getting back to a regular fitness routine that strengthens my back muscles will probably make the problem go away. I may or may not have slowly slacked on that over the last 8 years >_>

The point is, you will not be allowed to have any sort of back brace at boot and any medical history will come up while in DEP...so if you saw a doctor and that includes a PT, it will have to be in your records...

I'm just worried about your back during boot. We would stand at one knee for like an hour at a time on the hard floor for "study sessions" cuz we talked... and there's plenty of IT exercises that involve you being on your back.

If you can hack being a bartender at that level, you'll probably suffer no worse than the rest of us. You gave us the impression the back brace was necessary for you somehow, and I can't imagine they'll let you keep it at boot. But you'll survive that quickly enough, and when you graduate, you can have it back.

Sorry that it came across the wrong way haha.

I have never been below decks on a ship, but I have trouble imagining a situation where I have to lift a 30 lb or heavier object while hunched over due to a ceiling height of about 4 feet and being a 5' 10" individual. At least not one where I could not also slide it around.

Cardboard boxes have a tendency to shred when you do that on uneven ground or on rough cement.

Now that you've made me think of it, I can't remember the last time I moved a cardboard box. No, you're more likely to move large awkward bits of metal. Fire extinguishers. Cabinets. Desks. Ram fans. Couches. You will probably have to go up and down ladders with them, through passageways barely wide enough for you or the item (not both), and unless it's something you're throwing away, you may well have to contort yourself into a very odd shape to wedge the thing wherever it's ultimately going.

You know your back better than we do, but I recommend you listen to the cautious impulse that led you to ask your question in the first place.