We received this question via our email campaign. It’s good gouge for anyone heading to OCS. Getting injured at OCS and “failure to adapt” are the main reasons candidates get sent home. It’s of paramount importance to prepare for avoiding injury at OCS.
Question: Avoiding injury at OCS?
My top question is, “What is the best way to avoid injury and avoid being put on medical at OCS?”
Answer:
There are three things you can do for yourself to prevent injury at OCS.
1. Train hard now.
Especially train your lower extremities  Developing bone density and strength are really important here. It’s a common adage that lower extremity injuries at OCS are not caused by the hiking or running. But rather by these combined with the amount of walking you will do every single day.
I don’t know the official number, but I remember being told we had walked an average of 11 miles a day at the end of the 10-week course. This may be relatively season dependent, as summer classes are shuffled around more.
2. Develop a good stretching and self-care program now. Stretching, foam rolling, etc are about the only things you can do at OCS to avoid injury. Even when you are really tired, don’t neglect it.
3. Cliche, but drink water, change your socks and sleep. And utilize the fruit bar in the morning to get your vitamins. Get a jar of multivitamins and utilize them on libo. Obviously, foot care is important. Water and sleep help heal your body and they are really the only nutritional recovery aids you’ll have ready access to. Part of the sleep aspect means studying your knowledge now, so you can get more sleep at OCS. Don’t underestimate the importance of sleep in avoiding injuries at OCS!!
Candidates, what other concerns do you have about avoiding injury at OCS?