Tendinitis break in Astorga

[thecatalanway]

Hello I am spending a few days trying to heal my foot problem in Astorga. I stopped here on Wednesday and it's beginning to feel strange to be so cut off from other pilgrims. I am staying in a hotel as I needed good sleep and space to work on my sore muscles but I have to admit it is a bit lonely. I've seen the cathedral and the Gaudi and wonder if there are any others who are hanging about here and would like to meet for a beer or lunch tomorrow? I can't walk far but have lots of time.

All being well I hope to set off again on Monday but slowly and probably without my pack for a couple of days. It's hard to make that decision as I love carrying my own stuff but it's that or stop altogether.

If anyone is around then let me know and I will check back here tomorrow.

Buen camino !
Kate

 

[Kanga]

Hi @thecatalanway - sorry, I'm not the answer as I'm in Sydney. But I did spend a few days in Astorga a few years ago, waiting for my husband to join me. The authors of The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago (Gitlitz and Davidson) say they always spend two nights in Astorga as there is so much there. If you can download a copy of their book there is a very informative chapter on Astorga, with pointers to lots of things to see.

As for company, if you find a bar near the albergue, or on the Way, with tables outside, plant your pack beside you, you will soon have company. You could also consider getting a lift to Rabanal - it's a small place but with three albergues (one staffed by the Confraternity of St James, so usually English speaking hospitaleros) and lots and lots of pilgrims. Ask the tourist office in Astorga - they could book you a room in one of the hostels/hotels in Rabanal. There is at least one hotel/hostel, often with guests doing a commercial Camino tour.

 

[Rajy62]

Wow you already made it to Astorga, Sorry to hear about your foot problems. Its is all part of the camino. Some of the best stages start from Astorga. Recover soon and continue on your journey. Best is yet to come. Buen camino.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Wow you already made it to Astorga...

Hence the tendonitis?!

I am far from lean, and not tall either. The thin and tall walk past me giving me the tumbsmup and telling me I can do 30 Km a day. And wouldn't you know it, a few days later I pass them as they have to spend 3 or 4 days t aliviate their tendonitis

 

[3walkingtoSantiago]

My husband suffered greatly from tendonitis - he got bandaged up at the municipal in Astorga. We walked a couple of short days, and then sent his pack ahead for a few days (and mine, too, once), and it really helped him to walk with less/no weight. Don't feel bad about forwarding your pack if you need to!

 

[thecatalanway]

I am not sure what you mean here. I started in Pamplona on March 29th and have rarely walked more than 25km, had 4 rest days, and am always at the back of the crowd. My pack is also only 7kg. I don't know why the tendinitis struck suddenly on week three but it did. I do know that I haven't been walking very hard or fast.

Anyway maybe we will walk slowly together one day- I hope- and Buen Camino!

Hence the tendonitis?!

I am far from lean, and not tall either. The thin and tall walk past me giving me the tumbsmup and telling me I can do 30 Km a day. And wouldn't you know it, a few days later I pass them as they have to spend 3 or 4 days t aliviate their tendonitis

 

[thecatalanway]

Thanks for this. Chocolate is a great idea and I forgot that it was also good for you. Today is day 4 of resting and the pain when I put weight on my foot is no different. I have begun to look at travel plans to get home to Barcelona. So sad and disappointing.
I know the next part is so fantastic and I have been incredibly happy walking and being on this path so it feels hard to decide to stop. I would send my pack on but I still find it hard to walk even without it. No need to be a martyr!
Thanks for the encouragement from you all- or most of you! )

Hey Kate

Big Hug!!!!
Firstly!....you have done a great thing in being gentle to yourself and allowing your body to rest.

I had to do that in Leon (2013). I get how you can quickly feel disconnected with other pilgrams....and how lonely it can be.

I think Astorga is well known for chocolate......and dark chocolate has magnesium in it.....which is great for helping to relax muscular aches......
So.......it is almost a medicinal requirement to go out and get some and eat it....

I hope you are able to fully recover and soon be on your way to meet a new wave of pilgrams.

 

[thecatalanway]

Tha

Hi @thecatalanway - sorry, I'm not the answer as I'm in Sydney. But I did spend a few days in Astorga a few years ago, waiting for my husband to join me. The authors of The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago (Gitlitz and Davidson) say they always spend two nights in Astorga as there is so much there. If you can download a copy of their book there is a very informative chapter on Astorga, with pointers to lots of things to see.

As for company, if you find a bar near the albergue, or on the Way, with tables outside, plant your pack beside you, you will soon have company. You could also consider getting a lift to Rabanal - it's a small place but with three albergues (one staffed by the Confraternity of St James, so usually English speaking hospitaleros) and lots and lots of pilgrims. Ask the tourist office in Astorga - they could book you a room in one of the hostels/hotels in Rabanal. There is at least one hotel/hostel, often with guests doing a commercial Camino tour.

Thank you Kanga for all that great advice. Will go and hang out in cafés

 

[thecatalanway]

H

Hey....

I know exactly what you are going thru.
I had to. ..."pause" my Camino in Leon.
I cried hard..huge tears...infact I didnt leave my hotel room for a whole day. I was pretty miserable.

In the end stoping before I did major damage was one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. Normally, I tend to run myself into the ground.

At this stage.....I dont know if I will return....but the peace I felt when I realised it was ok to put me, my body and my heart first....for once.....remains with me today.

Massive hug!!!!

hi Lise
Thanks for writing back, it helps me just knowing others were in a similar situation. Did you actually leave the Camino after your break in Leon? I see what you mean, that even if we 'stop' we are really only pausing.
I have a high pain threshold and also am stoic so I know how easily I could carry on walking even though it hurts. I don't want to do that so I am today thinking of stopping/pausing for now. If a pain doesn't improve after 4 days then it surely means it needs a longer break.

I love your attitude and if I go home then I hope I can see it that way too.

There is always the autumn camino with the grape harvest

Love kate

 

[jsalt]

Hi Kate, sorry to hear you have tendonitis in your foot. If it is still painful on Monday, I suggest you get yourself home to Barcelona. The Camino will always be there for you to go back to another time. I got tendonitis on the South West Coast Path in England, and made it worse by trying to keep going. Finally, after 3 days holed up in a pub, totally unable to walk, my sister came and fetched me. Two weeks later I tried again and went back to where I’d left off, and within a few hours of walking the pain was back. I had to admit defeat, got myself to a train station, and changed my flight to get back home earlier. It took at least another month before it cleared up completely. My mistake was trying to persevere through the pain, only to make the condition much, much worse. All the Best! Jill

 

[thecatalanway]

Dear

Hi Kate, sorry to hear you have tendonitis in your foot. If it is still painful on Monday, I suggest you get yourself home to Barcelona. The Camino will always be there for you to go back to another time. I got tendonitis on the South West Coast Path in England, and made it worse by trying to keep going. Finally, after 3 days holed up in a pub, totally unable to walk, my sister came and fetched me. Two weeks later I tried again and went back to where I’d left off, and within a few hours of walking the pain was back. I had to admit defeat, got myself to a train station, and changed my flight to get back home earlier. It took at least another month before it cleared up completely. My mistake was trying to persevere through the pain, only to make the condition much, much worse. All the Best! Jill

Dear Jill

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I am sitting here in the main square of Astorga, waiting for my painkiller to kick in and really edging myself towards the decision to stop and go home. I always said that if I had an injury I would stop but now I am here I am surprised how hard this is to do.
There are the people who I will never catch up with.
There are the insights and decisions about my life I hoped to have while walking.
And I suppose too there is my ego which wanted to be able to say I did the whole camino in one go.
But my body knows best and after so many days rest if it still is no better then I just need to swallow the pill(ha!) and go home. I can try to return in the autumn and who knows what wonders await me then?
I have read about many people who have to stop before the end but I had no idea it was so hard. My heart and spirit long to get out there again but, it is a case of learning to accept the inevitable.
Thank you everyone! Kate

 

[thecatalanway]

Hey Kate..

Im like you. I have a very high pain threshold. Along with being very stubborn.

Yes...I stayed until my return flight.
I caught a train to Santiago. I had promised a Spanish women I would pray for her in the Cathedral and I wanted to honour my promise.
I also had to pick up items I had sent ahead to Ivar.☺

I spent a day hanging around the cathedral. Watching....listening. I had been before....but I felt disjointed from everyone. So maybe that wasnt a good move.

I then caught a bus to Finisterre and stayed in an amazing place. I couldn't really walk (ruptured calf muscle ) but enjoyed a beautiful sunset....from my room.
I then took a taxi to Muxia.
It took me two hours to hobble 4km down to the sea and the church. I was clam and so blissfully relaxed. I tossed my stone into the sea. It was amazing. I really felt like I was where I was surpose to be and at the right time.

Then I traveled to Porto, Nazare and Lisbon.
I hobbled everywhere.....but taking things slowly was something I have never experienced before. It was an incredible experience.

I had a great time after my Camino.....but.....the extra taxi's, trains, and buses did eat into my budget so my credit card got a work out.

If you do have to "pause".....then taking some time to enjoy Spain or Portugal would be good rather than heading home straight away. (If your injury isnt needing treatment though).

You are definitely not alone.....there are plenty of us on the Camino and this forum who have had to re-group and form a new plan due to an injury.

And my Camino was a Autum one.......and I can assure you the grapes ....and blackberries were spectacular!!☺☺

Oh yes I can imagine how disjointed it must have felt to be in Santiago. So glad you made it to finisterre. I will wait till I come back next time, it's not so far for me to come.

Now that several waves of pilgrims have passed me by there are no familiar faces and I do feel I have stepped out of the pilgrimage. Obviously I don't carry my pack around with me all day and this large town is more anonymous than a village.

Hope you make it back here some day! I don't know where you live but the camino also runs through your town! It is such a mistake to think it begins in sant jean!

Buen camino, kate

 

[jsalt]

But my body knows best and after so many days rest if it still is no better then I just need to swallow the pill(ha!) and go home. I can try to return in the autumn and who knows what wonders await me then?

Hi Kate, well if you do decide to go home now, hoping to return later in the year, I’ll be in Astorga the evening of 7 November, on my way to Santiago, and would be happy to meet up for a glass of wine! Jill

 

[FurnessTravellers]

Hi Kate, my husband and I "paused" our Camino in Astorga after he developed a clot in his leg. We were disappointed, so stayed there for three days hoping it would resolve and we could continue, but to no avail. Astorga is a beautiful place, the Cathedral is lovely, the ruins of the baths amazing and the town square a lovely place to just sit and watch the world go by. Try to be in the square when the clock strikes, its a lot of fun!! There is also a great open air market mid-week that is interesting. We will definitely go back and continue our walk, but Australia is a long way away so we will be planning for a while, I think! I hope your wonderful memories will sustain you in the interim, as ours have for us.....God bless and Buen Camino!

 

[thecatalanway]

Hi Kate, well if you do decide to go home now, hoping to return later in the year, I’ll be in Astorga the evening of 7 November, on my way to Santiago, and would be happy to meet up for a glass of wine! Jill

Hi Jill

If i am here i will certainly be in touch! But it's so late....I hope to return October. See you in santiago!

 

[thecatalanway]

Hello fur

Hi Kate, my husband and I "paused" our Camino in Astorga after he developed a clot in his leg. We were disappointed, so stayed there for three days hoping it would resolve and we could continue, but to no avail. Astorga is a beautiful place, the Cathedral is lovely, the ruins of the baths amazing and the town square a lovely place to just sit and watch the world go by. Try to be in the square when the clock strikes, its a lot of fun!! There is also a great open air market mid-week that is interesting. We will definitely go back and continue our walk, but Australia is a long way away so we will be planning for a while, I think! I hope your wonderful memories will sustain you in the interim, as ours have for us.....God bless and Buen Camino!

Hello Furness pilgrims
Thanks for your message. A clot must have been frightening- hope he is totally recovered now. Yes I have been exploring Astorga but it was also a time for resting so I tried not to walk too much. Lots of times in cafés! After such a social time on the camino- I walked alone but loved the community feeling- it has been a shock to be apart and just stopped. However, I took the decision today and booked my train home for tomorrow. Pain was bad today so there wasn't room for doubt.

I will be back)

Love Kate

 

[Pabloke]

Dear


Dear Jill

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I am sitting here in the main square of Astorga, waiting for my painkiller to kick in and really edging myself towards the decision to stop and go home. I always said that if I had an injury I would stop but now I am here I am surprised how hard this is to do.
There are the people who I will never catch up with.
There are the insights and decisions about my life I hoped to have while walking.
And I suppose too there is my ego which wanted to be able to say I did the whole camino in one go.
But my body knows best and after so many days rest if it still is no better then I just need to swallow the pill(ha!) and go home. I can try to return in the autumn and who knows what wonders await me then?
I have read about many people who have to stop before the end but I had no idea it was so hard. My heart and spirit long to get out there again but, it is a case of learning to accept the inevitable.
Thank you everyone! Kate

Hi, Kate.

I've had to come back home yesterday from Nájera, because of a swollen ankle.
It has been hard to do it; I loved walking alone through fields and mountains and seeing the rest of people at the albergue. I really enjoyed even the worst and painful days. The last kms to Nájera were a torture. It's hard to feel that you are not as strong as you thought.

Plus, I was starting to know some of my 'partners', to share things and thoughts with them, and now i will never see them again or, at least, to keep in touch. This train left and it hurts.

I will restart the Camino, maybe next year and I'm pretty sure that I will find a lot of good people and good moments then.

Anyway, I have to be happy with my decission, finally the swollen ankle is caused by an infection so now I'm with antibiotics. Maybe a bug.

 

[thecatalanway]

Hi, Kate.

I've had to come back home yesterday from Nájera, because of a swollen ankle.
It has been hard to do it; I loved walking alone through fields and mountains and seeing the rest of people at the albergue. I really enjoyed even the worst and painful days. The last kms to Nájera were a torture. It's hard to feel that you are not as strong as you thought.

Plus, I was starting to know some of my 'partners', to share things and thoughts with them, and now i will never see them again or, at least, to keep in touch. This train left and it hurts.

I will restart the Camino, maybe next year and I'm pretty sure that I will find a lot of good people and good moments then.

Anyway, I have to be happy with my decission, finally the swollen ankle is caused by an infection so now I'm with antibiotics. Maybe a bug.

Hi Pabloke

So glad you wrote! I totally understand and feel the same that I was enjoying the walk so much and the growing community and then it is hard to take in that we can't go on . I try not to think that I was not as fit as I thought, but perhaps just unlucky, or even that there is some mysterious reason behind it that I won't understand till later. It is a challenge of faith and acceptance though!

I saw so many budding friendships pass on, I hoped to catch up but now I see that won't happen. As you say, there will be more the next time.

Ooooffff it reminds me of my last day walking to Astorga. It was physically torture but emotionally and spiritually fantastic. Such a wonderful sense of beauty and space in spite of the pain. I am glad to stop though, and let my body recover.

I looked for people discussing this theme and didn't find anything more than the basic 'had to stop' posts so I am glad a few people have written here about how hard it is. We can be proud of ourselves, looking after our bodies is an important job so that we can walk again.

Hope your infection has cleared up. That really takes it out of you!
Buen Camino!
Kate

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Hi Jill

If i am here i will certainly be in touch! But it's so late....I hope to return October. See you in santiago!

Hello, Miss Kate!

I will be walking starting 1 October, so perchance we will meet. I loved it that you referred to the grape harvest: that sounds wonderful. I am currently taking a break from reading obsessively and "playing" with my gear. I have been hiking weekly, but am currently on focusing on completing a long teaching career. I will retire on the 10th of June. At that point, let the fun begin. I have plans to do a lot of "getting in shape," and have several good hikes in my area. I need to drop more weight, as I also realize that carrying this extra poundage will make my walk more difficult. When I was a much younger woman, my best weight was about thirty pounds lighter---eeek! But I have time to get things wrapped up in that department. My desire is to carry less weight so my legs and feet survive the long walk.

I also will be dealing with my feet quite a bit. I need to get the rubber ball and start getting better about stretching out the plantar muscle. It's so interesting what our bodies can and will throw at us.

Buen Camino, and hope to meet you on your--our next---Camino.

Deb

 

[Rajy62]

Kate,
So sorry to hear that you have to postpone your walk.
I am assuming that you had medical attention and confirmed that there is some underlying injury or arthritis causing your symptoms. If not, i would HYDRATE myself and see if the pain dissipates. Long shot but dehydration is known to cause inflammation.

 

[thecatalanway]

Thank you and that's good advice. But the problem is tendonitis confirmed by doc. Even painkillers don't stop it! Or not at the dose I take. I will be back!