• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Distinguishing “Normal Pain” from Potential Injury

lar4290

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2021
Hi all!

I am five days into my first Camino.

I did not train (but am in my 30s and in decent shape — can easily walk or hike 15 km and run 8 km).

However, my feet — especially my right one — are very sore after a day of doing 20-30 km on the Camino. It’s generalized pain — outside, arch, heel — no tender spots, bruising, etc. The pain goes away relatively soon after I’m off my feet and they are pretty much good to go by the next morning (but the pain is back after 10-15 km). I am in new-ish boots (not brand new), but it’s my third pair of the same style/brand and they fit well/no blisters. I bought Soles insoles on the route and haven’t noticed a big difference. A pharmacy gave me Voltaren but again, no real difference. No other pain in legs, shins, knees, etc. though my calves are tight and I’m stretching them. I am going to take a rest day tomorrow.

But my question is whether foot pain is just a normal part of the Camino as my feet adjust? (People have told me they started out with pain but they adjusted and were able to walk longer pain free in weeks 3, 4, 5 than at the start.) If so, I will tough through. The pain itself is not unbearable, though I’m moving slower and taking more breaks than I otherwise would. But I don’t want to push and get seriously injured. I know only I can answer the ultimate question, but I’m interested in guidance in terms of how much throbbing feet are normal and how you tell the difference between “normal Camino pain” and pain that could be the sign of an injury.

thank you for any advice!
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
You say you can easily walk or hike 15 km. With a pack?
But you are walking 20-30 kms on Camino.
That's a big difference.

I tend to get 'sore' feet after about 20 kms.
By 25, they are quite uncomfortable.
By 30 kms they are throbbing lumps of jelly.

I would say some 'discomfort' is normal.
And as you say, they are fine the next morning.

Get your footwear off during the day at breaks,
Change the socks halfway each day.
Vaseline your feet.
Pamper them!

Wear different footwear at night. flip flops/thongs. to air your feet.

It's often the day after day pounding on your feet that makes them sore.

If worried maybe drop in to see a physio?
The physios in Spain are really great.
And not expensive.

Where are you know?
I know where there are a few and might be able to share details.
Although where ever you are staying, the hosts will know.

Great physio in Carrion.


 
How heavy is your pack?

Walking with the extra weight of a pack day after day is tough on feet, imho. Tougher if your pack is in the 25 lb. range.

You might experiment by shipping your pack for a couple of "rest" days. Yes, you'll need to purchase a light daypack to carry water, snacks, sun cream, and rain gear. But that's no big deal.

I do not like flipflops - most have little arch support, something your feet need after walking for many days with a pack. So I disagree with @Robo here. But his suggestion to seek the help of a pt is good advice.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
How heavy is your pack?

Walking with the extra weight of a pack day after day is tough on feet, imho. Tougher if your pack is in the 25 lb. range.

You might experiment by shipping your pack for a couple of "rest" days. Yes, you'll need to purchase a light daypack to carry water, snacks, sun cream, and rain gear. But that's no big deal.

I do not like flipflops - most have little arch support, something your feet need after walking for many days with a pack. So I disagree with @Robo here. But his suggestion to seek the help of a pt is good advice.

Personally I don't wear them for the reason you state, but I know a lot of people do.
In the evenings I wear trekking sandals.

I think the 'key' is not to wear your 'walking' footwear after you finish walking.

Change into something that is maybe lighter, a different 'fit' so it places pressure on different parts of the foot. That way your feet get a break.
 
When I started to develop tendonitis, it was annoyingly sore for a number of hours. When that soreness became hobbling, I figured something was wrong. Rest, compression, magnesium, Volteran did the trick.

In the end, less distance and a rest day early on would probably have been enough. Allowing your body to get used to things early is really important. Eventually your body will go ok I see what we are doing here :)
 
Last edited:
Thank you, all, for advice and encouragement!

I should have mentioned that I am walking with only a daypack and have been sending a bag with Camino Facil because I unfortunately cannot be without my (heavy) work laptop while I walk. Daypack is pretty light. I am wearing thick flip flops with some arch support in the evenings.

For what it is worth, my feet are less sore on day 5 than they were on days 2 and 3 (but still sore!). I took two longer breaks on day 5, and think that really helped.

Welcome any recommendations for a medical center or Physio in and after Burgos, I welcome it!

I am trying to decide between continuing on foot, moving slower on foot (and risk not finishing / having some 40 km days at the end), or renting a cycle and cycling between Burgos and Leon to give my feet a rest. I worry that the pain will just come back as strong as now if I cycle, though.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Hi all!

I am five days into my first Camino.

I did not train (but am in my 30s and in decent shape — can easily walk or hike 15 km and run 8 km).

However, my feet — especially my right one — are very sore after a day of doing 20-30 km on the Camino. It’s generalized pain — outside, arch, heel — no tender spots, bruising, etc. The pain goes away relatively soon after I’m off my feet and they are pretty much good to go by the next morning (but the pain is back after 10-15 km). I am in new-ish boots (not brand new), but it’s my third pair of the same style/brand and they fit well/no blisters. I bought Soles insoles on the route and haven’t noticed a big difference. A pharmacy gave me Voltaren but again, no real difference. No other pain in legs, shins, knees, etc. though my calves are tight and I’m stretching them. I am going to take a rest day tomorrow.

But my question is whether foot pain is just a normal part of the Camino as my feet adjust? (People have told me they started out with pain but they adjusted and were able to walk longer pain free in weeks 3, 4, 5 than at the start.) If so, I will tough through. The pain itself is not unbearable, though I’m moving slower and taking more breaks than I otherwise would. But I don’t want to push and get seriously injured. I know only I can answer the ultimate question, but I’m interested in guidance in terms of how much throbbing feet are normal and how you tell the difference between “normal Camino pain” and pain that could be the sign of an injury.

thank you for any advice!
Feel free to message me for phone or whatsapp video chat. I am an ER Physician, starting the Camino next week.
 
Hi all!

I am five days into my first Camino.

I did not train (but am in my 30s and in decent shape — can easily walk or hike 15 km and run 8 km).

However, my feet — especially my right one — are very sore after a day of doing 20-30 km on the Camino. It’s generalized pain — outside, arch, heel — no tender spots, bruising, etc. The pain goes away relatively soon after I’m off my feet and they are pretty much good to go by the next morning (but the pain is back after 10-15 km). I am in new-ish boots (not brand new), but it’s my third pair of the same style/brand and they fit well/no blisters. I bought Soles insoles on the route and haven’t noticed a big difference. A pharmacy gave me Voltaren but again, no real difference. No other pain in legs, shins, knees, etc. though my calves are tight and I’m stretching them. I am going to take a rest day tomorrow.

But my question is whether foot pain is just a normal part of the Camino as my feet adjust? (People have told me they started out with pain but they adjusted and were able to walk longer pain free in weeks 3, 4, 5 than at the start.) If so, I will tough through. The pain itself is not unbearable, though I’m moving slower and taking more breaks than I otherwise would. But I don’t want to push and get seriously injured. I know only I can answer the ultimate question, but I’m interested in guidance in terms of how much throbbing feet are normal and how you tell the difference between “normal Camino pain” and pain that could be the sign of an injury.

thank you for any advice!
I think some adjustment of your foot to the walking is normal , but during that time, maybe a3_4 day, go easy , don't do 30 k ,20 or less and rest the "old dogs ". If you do have a strain or sprain you are risking a long & painful trip . I have done it the wrong way enough to advise go easy , and if the shoes are nearly new id suggest you rub a little Vaseline on you feet in the morning
 
Your pain sounds similar to what I experience as plantar fascitis, which I developed on day 1 of my first Camino, though it took me about eight days to figure out it was something more than just regular soreness. Unfortunately, it's come back on each of my five caminos, so I don't have a quick and easy fix for you.

Here are the three things that have helped me the most:

1. Avoid road walking whenever possible. If there's any sliver of shoulder that's dirt, grass, gravel, or anything other than asphalt (or cobblestones), walk on that.

2. Take cold footbaths whenever possible. I now carry a collapsible basin just for this purpose. Since you probably don't have one of those, take every opportunity to soak your feet in rivers and streams you pass, or even public fountains/lavadoiros (public laundry facilities, common in Galicia and Portugal).

On desperate occasions, I'll even soak my socks and walk in them wet. This feels a bit icky and can also cause blisters, but it keeps the pain at bay.

3. I do some exercises with a lacrosse ball and my hiking pole that I learned from the MobilityMastery YouTube channel. The aim of these exercises is to get rid of the knots in the fasci (connective tissue) running through the calves and shins. While the inflammation is in the fascii on the under side of the feet, the real source of the problem (in my case at least) is the fascii in the legs.

I hope this helps!
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Ofoos are recovery sandles for runners. You can google them they have great arch support and will probably eliminate your problem if you don’t have a medical condition. Also walk in them for an in the day on hard pavement if needed
They worked great for us on the Camino we are in our 70s and had little problem
 
I am far from an expert but maybe when you get to Burgos buy a pair of good trail runners. They are light and have excellent fusion (Hoka's for example) and may be just what you need. At least 12 a size larger (I go up a one size) and if you have a normal or wider foot get a wide trail runner. You may also just need time for your feet to adjust. Many people, including myself, have learned that you just can't recreate the camino during training.
I had really sore feet during the first week or so on my first camino. Now I know how to walk that works great for me.
I would recommend keep using the Voltaren. Put it on at night and before you leave in the morning. It can't hurt at all.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
This is something I had posted before. Perhaps it may be of some help.

---------------------------------------

The purpose of this post is not to act as a guideline to diagnose injuries or abnormalities. It is to help those who are new to long distance walking, to appreciate the fact that feet and knees, like any other part of the body, can have normal responses of discomfort when suddenly being tasked to work at higher than normal levels of exertion.

Remember how sore you became during times that when you first started a new physical adventure? Whether starting a fitness program, physical labor in the yard, or starting a new recreational hobby like bicycle riding, chances are that by the next morning, your muscles felt sore and tender and it was a bit difficult to get moving. :)

The same holds true with feet and knees. When one first starts to do extended walking, hiking, fitness training, etc., feet can become tender and knees feel sore. If there is uphill and downhill walking, the effects can be even more pronounced.

This can sometimes cause alarm; and when it does occur, can make it difficult to gauge whether the discomfort one feels is within normal limits, or is the beginning of an injury.

Feet and knees are complicated structures and full of reasons why increases in activity takes some getting used to.

Each of your feet and ankles contain:
  • 26 bones (about 1/4 of all the bones in the body)
  • 33 joints
  • Over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
    • The tendons are a fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones; the ligaments are fibrous tissues that connect bones to other bones.
Each knee has:
  • 2 main joints
  • 4 bones around the knee
  • 6 ligaments
  • tendons from 4 major muscles
  • A variety of cartilage, bursae, meniscus, and other goodies
Most of the time, it is the level of severity of symptoms which is used to differentiate normal from abnormal. For instance, the pain grows more severe or starts out as intense and sharp; or a small amount of swelling continues to rapidly increase; or there is discoloration at the site of the discomfort. But to add to the concern and confusion, it can also be normal for those brand new aches in the feet and knees to require a bit of rest for a day or so in order to help relieve the discomfort.

When I first start getting back into shape for backpacking after taking a break during late winter, I do daily hikes into steep and high foothills to the Cascade Mountains. Trails and paths may be anywhere from 8 percent to over 30 percent, and elevation gain and loss can be as high as 3300 feet/1006 meters within a 2.5 to 5 hour period.

And I always seem to forget when I first start, that it takes time for my feet and knees to adjust. And they DO adjust. It just takes a bit of time.

The day after that first day hike, my knees let me know that they are sore from the sudden activity, and that they do not like what I am doing. So, after the hikes I will Ice and Rest the knees for a period of time while reading or doing stuff like this post, or even working at my consulting job. Sometimes I find it beneficial to take the recommended dosage of ibuprofen to help with tissue swelling rather than any discomfort, but the main post-exercise therapy is Ice and Rest.

For the first 7 to 10 days on my training hikes, I tend to go slower, adjust my pace and stride to minimize how hard my foot impacts the ground on downhills, and if my knees start to bark too much, I will simply stop for a little bit and give them a rest.

This also helps with the period of adjustment as my feet structures strengthen from the increased activity.

Anyway, I just wanted to provide some encouragement to those who are doing Camino for the first time that, yes, knees and feet can and do adapt, as long as everything else is equal; like good footwear and commonsense :)

Also if you do have any suspicion or concern that there might be an injury, get it checked out by a medical professional. Do not be embarrassed that your symptoms might end up NOT being an injury. . . that's why the medics get paid to do what they do, to figure that stuff out.
 
A couple of observations ...

A wise forum contributor wrote, “I will do pain, but I won’t do misery.” (Sorry, I don’t remember who that wise person was so I can’t give proper credit.) It sounds like you know how far you can walk before the pain and then the misery begin. A good idea would be to keep your mileage below the misery threshold and then slowly build up distances as your body adjusts. I say the priority should be to take care of your body, and let the consequences (having to bike or bus or whatever) take care of themselves. Otherwise, you risk not being able to continue at all. The Camino is a harsh teacher, but one thing it makes really clear is that there are consequences to not listening to your body. I do think you understand that or you wouldn’t be asking the question.

My second observation is that if one foot is significantly worse than the other when they are both being subjected to the same conditions, you probably should have that checked out by a doctor or physio. It could be a stress fracture or some other injury.

Good luck! Buen camino!
 
This is something I had posted before. Perhaps it may be of some help.

---------------------------------------

The purpose of this post is not to act as a guideline to diagnose injuries or abnormalities. It is to help those who are new to long distance walking, to appreciate the fact that feet and knees, like any other part of the body, can have normal responses of discomfort when suddenly being tasked to work at higher than normal levels of exertion.

Remember how sore you became during times that when you first started a new physical adventure? Whether starting a fitness program, physical labor in the yard, or starting a new recreational hobby like bicycle riding, chances are that by the next morning, your muscles felt sore and tender and it was a bit difficult to get moving. :)

The same holds true with feet and knees. When one first starts to do extended walking, hiking, fitness training, etc., feet can become tender and knees feel sore. If there is uphill and downhill walking, the effects can be even more pronounced.

This can sometimes cause alarm; and when it does occur, can make it difficult to gauge whether the discomfort one feels is within normal limits, or is the beginning of an injury.

Feet and knees are complicated structures and full of reasons why increases in activity takes some getting used to.

Each of your feet and ankles contain:
  • 26 bones (about 1/4 of all the bones in the body)
  • 33 joints
  • Over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
    • The tendons are a fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones; the ligaments are fibrous tissues that connect bones to other bones.
Each knee has:
  • 2 main joints
  • 4 bones around the knee
  • 6 ligaments
  • tendons from 4 major muscles
  • A variety of cartilage, bursae, meniscus, and other goodies
Most of the time, it is the level of severity of symptoms which is used to differentiate normal from abnormal. For instance, the pain grows more severe or starts out as intense and sharp; or a small amount of swelling continues to rapidly increase; or there is discoloration at the site of the discomfort. But to add to the concern and confusion, it can also be normal for those brand new aches in the feet and knees to require a bit of rest for a day or so in order to help relieve the discomfort.

When I first start getting back into shape for backpacking after taking a break during late winter, I do daily hikes into steep and high foothills to the Cascade Mountains. Trails and paths may be anywhere from 8 percent to over 30 percent, and elevation gain and loss can be as high as 3300 feet/1006 meters within a 2.5 to 5 hour period.

And I always seem to forget when I first start, that it takes time for my feet and knees to adjust. And they DO adjust. It just takes a bit of time.

The day after that first day hike, my knees let me know that they are sore from the sudden activity, and that they do not like what I am doing. So, after the hikes I will Ice and Rest the knees for a period of time while reading or doing stuff like this post, or even working at my consulting job. Sometimes I find it beneficial to take the recommended dosage of ibuprofen to help with tissue swelling rather than any discomfort, but the main post-exercise therapy is Ice and Rest.

For the first 7 to 10 days on my training hikes, I tend to go slower, adjust my pace and stride to minimize how hard my foot impacts the ground on downhills, and if my knees start to bark too much, I will simply stop for a little bit and give them a rest.

This also helps with the period of adjustment as my feet structures strengthen from the increased activity.

Anyway, I just wanted to provide some encouragement to those who are doing Camino for the first time that, yes, knees and feet can and do adapt, as long as everything else is equal; like good footwear and commonsense :)

Also if you do have any suspicion or concern that there might be an injury, get it checked out by a medical professional. Do not be embarrassed that your symptoms might end up NOT being an injury. . . that's why the medics get paid to do what they do, to figure that stuff out.
That is great, but missed other serious causes of pain...nerve injury, claudication, etc. Pls peregrinos, don't just attribute everything to Camino pain and assume it will get better.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
That is great, but missed other serious causes of pain...nerve injury, claudication, etc. Pls peregrinos, don't just attribute everything to Camino pain and assume it will get better.

Which is why I stated this up front: "The purpose of this post is not to act as a guideline to diagnose injuries or abnormalities."

There is a normal adaptive cause for low to moderate soreness and discomfort when taking on new and prolonged activities, and that was all my post was talking about. It was also why I included this:
"Also if you do have any suspicion or concern that there might be an injury, get it checked out by a medical professional. Do not be embarrassed that your symptoms might end up NOT being an injury. . . that's why the medics get paid to do what they do, to figure that stuff out."
 
Check out David's advice (I reposted it at https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...nic-for-blisters-in-burgos.70315/#post-928701) about correct boot fitting/wearing/day to day regime.
Also -I agree with others on here - we all walk different mileage - keep within your own comfort zone and take days off if you want/need to - a Camino is an experience not a race!!
Also be aware of your mindbody/psychological health. Quite often we rush off on Camino or holiday - having lots of unfinished business/work worries/family dramas/personal stresses - and then we get aches pains or other symptoms that are sometimes caused by these worries. Take some time whilst walking (its the perfect time to give our minds a good spring clean!) to sort out all the stuff that is or has been bothering you - or that you have been 'pushing away' - you might find that it helps you physically as well!!
My husband rarely took holidays and would be quite stressed before one - getting all his 'ducks in a row' - we realised that he injured himself just before or at the start of a holiday - he drilled a hole in a thumb, he chopped off a finger top (ouch!) even got a weird painful foot fungus..... By recognising it and taking steps to make his work life less stressful - and get much more 'holiday' time - he now happily looks forward to holidays and I don't have to hide the power tools...! Our minds are powerful - more than we think!!
Enjoy your Camino!
 
@lar4290 no, I do not accept that pain is normal, especially for someone as young as you. Mild discomfort is one thing, but pain - no. Your feet are trying to tell you something. On my first Camino I wore boots that were all wrong for my feet, and caused intense weird internal pains that had me stopping every few metres to wriggle my toes. I changed shoes to lightweight ASICs. All went well for two or three Caminos, but I used to think I had 12 kilometre feet - after that they would get sore. I would keep going, but was aware of my feet. Then I changed shoes again, to sandals. For me - perfect. I no longer get sore feet - well, I do, but by the time they complain the rest of my body is saying "enough"!

So I think you have to be creative. By all means, shorten your kilometres (always a good idea) and try everything else, but if the problem persists, get professional help. You may have injured something.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Of all the great advice above I would add to check how you are lacing your shoes. My husband started to get foot pain when we walked the primitivo - we've walked many routes and this was new for him. He had new lighter trail shoes (Salomons) with the quick lacing... which I love... but I suggested he slacken them a little. A few kms down the road his pain was gone.

He'd been lacing too tight and I suspect he was squeezing maybe a tendon? it was only one foot but it was enough to cause him discomfort. He paid more attention to the lacing and foot comfort but it seemed to solve the problem.

When I walked the via de la plata I had the opposite problem... my lacing in my Lone Peaks was too lose and my foot was moving too much and that also caused pain... some wise folks here suggested different lacing techniques and the problem was solved.

That might be too simple a reason for you but worth a try maybe?
 
Thank you again to everyone for your helpful comments. I was able to finish the Camino on schedule, with several visits to pharmacies, no visits to doctors of physiotherapists, and no serious injury. (But I did make many visits to pharmacies — first inserts, then blister care.)

Only you know your body, and for me, the fact that the pain went away when I rested and didn’t get significantly worse meant that I felt comfortable continuing.

Thanks again and hopefully someone else finds this thread helpful!
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Hi all!

I am five days into my first Camino.

I did not train (but am in my 30s and in decent shape — can easily walk or hike 15 km and run 8 km).

However, my feet — especially my right one — are very sore after a day of doing 20-30 km on the Camino.
You are walking double the distance that you are accustomed to day after day, it's no wonder that your feet and potentially other parts are hurting. There are other possible causes for foot pain but over-use combined with shoes or footbeds that aren't perfect is the most likely cause.

It takes many weeks for ligaments to adapt to higher stresses and the best action at this point is to walk shorter distances. If you continue over-doing the stresses on your feet you could end up with permanent problems.

Other possibilities are to change your footbeds and to look at different lacing patterns as other people have suggested. If things don't improve I would see a podiatrist just to make sure that there isn't something else causing the problems.
 

Most read last week in this forum

I'm about a 6 weeks away from beginning the French Camino. Depending on how I feel when I get to St. Jean, I will either take a train back to Portugal, or continue on to Santiago. In the...
Hola, I was really hoping to walk the Camino again this coming summer but despite all my hopes and planning I am in need of a hip replacement instead, yea! I walked the Frances in 2017 and have...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Similar threads

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top