Wounded knee in Arre

[p3nny]

While I’m no stranger to knee pain (see my avatar picture from Sarria, 2013), this did catch me off guard. After starting in Lourdes and taking 9!!!! days to make SJPdP, I’m recuperating at Albergue de Villava-Atannabia. They bring me ice and kind words.
The damage is not as great as in 2013, and I’m doing everything right: rest, ice, compression, elevation, EMS treatments, and painful massage. Lol
Just wondering if anyone has an encouraging story of a speedy return to the Camino after a hurtin’ bad knee. (My problem is bursitis.)

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Walk and ice every couple of hours. Take your own baggie to the bars! I did a camino with a bad tear to my Achilles tendon.

 

[p3nny]

Walk and ice every couple of hours. Take your own baggie to the bars! I did a camino with a bad tear to my Achilles tendon.

Thank you. I’m going to walk to find food now. The albergue has been wonderful about the ice. Good baggie tip for down the road.

 

[trecile]

I have never had real knee pain before this year's descent into Zubiri, when the outside of my knee started hurting - a lot. I mentioned it to another peregrina at my albergue that evening, and she said that it sounded like IT band syndrome, which she had had when training for a half marathon. She said that there were stretches, exercises and massage that could help. I Googled it, and found stretches, self massage and exercises that I could do. And voila! all the pain was gone within a day or two. I'm not saying that this is your problem, but I also met another pilgrim who had been having the same type of pain on the outside of his knee. I told him of my experience and although I didn't see him again, another pilgrim that knew both of us told me that the guy with the pain wanted me to know that my suggestions helped him to continue walking without pain.

I had never heard of this IT band /knee connection, and would never have considered it as the source of my pain if it hadn't been for that peregrina. I was definitely in the right albergue that night!

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Would welcome details, recommendations, etc on your visit to Lourdes, trip to SJPdeP.

 

[p3nny]

I have never had real knee pain before this year's descent into Zubiri, when the outside of my knee started hurting - a lot. I mentioned it to another peregrina at my albergue that evening, and she said that it sounded like IT band syndrome, which she had had when training for a half marathon. She said that there were stretches, exercises and massage that could help. I Googled it, and found stretches, self massage and exercises that I could do. And voila! all the pain was gone within a day or two. I'm not saying that this is your problem, but I also met another pilgrim who had been having the same type of pain on the outside of his knee. I told him of my experience and although I didn't see him again, another pilgrim that knew both of us told me that the guy with the pain wanted me to know that my suggestions helped him to continue walking without pain.

I had never heard of this IT band /knee connection, and would never have considered it as the source of my pain if it hadn't been for that peregrina. I was definitely in the right albergue that night!

I’ll check it out. Thank you.

 

[p3nny]

Would welcome details, recommendations, etc on your visit to Lourdes, trip to SJPdeP.

I am the worst person to do this. One of the reasons I took 9 days to do the walk was because I was regularly lost. I don’t know how.
Once was somewhat amusing: I passed the same cigarette package discarded in the long grasses of a hill and thought the pilgrim had a big smoking problem. Didn’t realize until I crossed through the same puddle twice that I’d made a 5 kilometer circle.

 

[GPeachy]

In addition to the ice therapy, when I had bursitis I was advised to take ibuprofen for a few days.

 

[alhartman]

My first Camino companion blew out his knee going into Ronconvalles. Iced knee and hitchhiked/public transit in parallel to my walk. Part days/ short days by Santo Domingo and full days from Leon. Just on RICE treatment. Hard part as late middle aged males was learning to not overdo!!

 

[KinkyOne]

@p3nny if you'll take any Ibuprofeno (Spanish 600mg pills are for horses) or Diclofenaco be sure to take them only after full meal! Otherwise you might shock your liver big time

Take care!

 

[p3nny]

In addition to the ice therapy, when I had bursitis I was advised to take ibuprofen for a few days.

I’m taking ibuprofen, too. It helps.

 

[p3nny]

My first Camino companion blew out his knee going into Ronconvalles. Iced knee and hitchhiked/public transit in parallel to my walk. Part days/ short days by Santo Domingo and full days from Leon. Just on RICE treatment. Hard part as late middle aged males was learning to not overdo!!

Right now, getting to the bathroom is my “short” day. Because I have the time, and the albergue will allow me to stay as long as I need, I’m going to listen to my knee and stay put. Damned hard to do. We don’t come to the Camino prepared for a one or two week lay-up. Maybe after a week (or two, ugh) I can tackle a few short days and see how far down the road I get.

 

[p3nny]

@p3nny if you'll take any Ibuprofeno (Spanish 600mg pills are for horses) or Diclofenaco be sure to take them only after full meal! Otherwise you might shock your liver big time

Take care!

I tried to buy the 600 mg pills, and was asked for a prescription. I settled for the 400 mg pills.

 

[P Rat]

After experiencing similar issues and trying similar remedies on our Camino earlier this year we finally saw a physio. Should have done so straight away, so that is now my advise to all issues arising while on the trail. In the end it may save you money, time and worry.

 

[David Tallan]

I never had knee problems until my first camino. The descents to Zubiri and after the Alto de Perdon really did a number on my knees. However, a combination of acquiring hiking poles, knee sleeves (and eventually a knee brace), and regular doses of ibuprofen saw me through the camino to Finisterre. A couple of years later, I did the Portugues from Porto to Santiago. I did more training for that one and took the hiking poles. I had no need of knee braces or ibuprofen - no knee trouble at all.

 

[p3nny]

After experiencing similar issues and trying similar remedies on our Camino earlier this year we finally saw a physio. Should have done so straight away, so that is now my advise to all issues arising while on the trail. In the end it may save you money, time and worry.

I received physio before last year’s Portuguese Camino, and it helped. Should have sought physio before tackling this Camino. I’m still hanging in, though!

 

[p3nny]

I never had knee problems until my first camino. The descents to Zubiri and after the Alto de Perdon really did a number on my knees. However, a combination of acquiring hiking poles, knee sleeves (and eventually a knee brace), and regular doses of ibuprofen saw me through the camino to Finisterre. A couple of years later, I did the Portugues from Porto to Santiago. I did more training for that one and took the hiking poles. I had no need of knee braces or ibuprofen - no knee trouble at all.

I had blister problems on the Portuguese Camino last summer, and sought relief in Fatima before continuing on. No knee issues! I think the hills just after Lourdes were my downfall this time out.