Numb big toe for 1 year because of army boots

vleelee SG

I just want to share my experience with you fellas and hope that you may prevent the same problem from happening to you in the future.

I am born with a slight flat foot problem ... not exactly troublesome in my teens and could participate in normal sports activities like everyone else. I also have a slight footing pronation problem i.e. when my feet strikes the ground, its not flat, but the outer part of the heel will impact the ground first. This is a very common condition for us all ... just look at your soles of your shoes and if the heel is not evenly worn off, then you have a pronation problem too.

Anyway ... during my army days, because of the army boots .... and the weight of the gear I was carrying and running around, I remember that the 1st 15 to 18 odd months, I actually lost a fair bit of sensation in the ball of my foot and my big toes. During the army days, I also checked around and most of my army mates also complain about the same problem. Subsequently, we got used to the problem. I only really got my toes sensation back when I wasn't running around anymore.

Now I'm 35 and recently I was diagnosed with the condition called "planters faciitis". What this means is that the tendon on my left sole is kind of over stretched and inflamed and so it swells up and presses against the nerves of my heel. In short, my left heel is always painful if I put my weight on it. Its especially bad in the morning when my body is still stiff, or when I change from a sitting to a standing position.

I checked on the causes and the foot doctor told me that probably the numbness sensation during that 1 year odd caused it, And because it was not treated i.e. my foot did not go for therapy to fix it, and now coupled with age, I will have to live with this problem for life. In very minor cases, the condition may improve, but the majority is to be stuck with this pain.

I greatly encourage that if you are suffering from foot pain now (or numbness), please seek PROFESSIONAL medical advice and fix it quickly. Don't leave it to your GPs or the camp MO who will just brush it aside. The pain is not something that's easy to manage. Your walking is affected, your lifestyle has to change, you have this nagging thought in your mind all the time, and you may have to invest in a fair bit of money for splints and insoles and customised shoes to alleviate the pain. So please take care of yourself. You may be young and gungho now ... but when age gradually catches up, you may live with a regret for life.

kopiosatu SG

Bottomline : If there’s really something wrong and the MO thinks u chao keng, then go outside and see a doctor.

subudei SG

vleelee,

Have you given any thought to filing a legal claim?

Of course, I'm not sure what the odds will be like, especially since it's MINDEF involved and you ORD-ed a long time ago, but it may be worthwhile to at least go in for a consultation with a good law firm (and with the good firms, the first session is usually free).

May be worthwhile especially in light of the possibility that, for all you know, this problem of yours could become even worse in the future (we've already seen that it has potential for long term degenerative effects), and require further expenditure on your part for medical treatment.

Just a thought.