In preparation for my first Camino I've been walking 2okm, at the completition of which I end up with very painful, aching feet. I've consulted my GP, a massage therapist and a podiatrist, whose advice I've followed and have seen only minor improvement. I've tried different boots, different shoes, wear hiking socks, use trekking poles, rest regularly, air my feet at rest stops, and in general have endeavoured to follow all the advice I've been able to access.
My hope was to walk about 25km each day, however I've resigned myself to the fact that, that won't be possible, and reconciled myself that, that is just the way it is, and that I'll simply have to tolerate aching feet.
I've not had any problems with blisters, but was hoping someone might be able to suggest something to assist with the preventation and/or treatment of aching feet.
Many thanks,
Sore Feet Pete
Some how the written portion of my post dissappeared. I will try to rewrite it here.
Pete,
I believe the Camino you plan on walking will determine your training regimine. I walked my camino ( Del Norte, April 28 - June 3, this year). I researched the del Norte extensively and realized that I would need to train well before leaving home, realizing the climbs and descents would be demanding. I started six months before my departure date, walking every morning, breaking in two sets of footwear, the last two months walking 15 km, or more, with full back pack. I left for Spain feeling prepared. Boy was I wrong. The first stage, Irun to San Sebastian, set the stage for the next 7. By the time I got to San Sebastian, I had blisters on both little toes, very painful. I bandaged myself up and pressed on the next morning. So it went for the next 10 days. Injury, bandages. Then, I added Ibuprofen, 600 mg. More blisters and skin seperation near the balls of my feet. Blisters became blood blisters, then exploded. I trudged on, becoming one of the walking wounded. In Guemes, at the albergue, an American volunteer working there told me about Compeed and gave me two the next morning just before I left. He was a professional running coach living in Seattle, WA. My wounds slowly started to heal after that, me occaisonally reinjuring a healing wound. That issue really slowed me down.
I finally ran into a professional trekking guide who has a business in Nepal guiding tours through the high valleys of the Himalayas. He suggested I get a pair of trekking poles. I had a pair with me, tied to my back pack under the cover. I told him I had tried to use the poles initially but did not know what I was doing, so I stowed them. After a day of instruction from this man, David Gluns, I got the hang of using my poles. More instruction and following him on the trail the next three days made me much better at using them. We parted ways at Villaviciosa, he going for the Primativo and me for the del Norte. In about four days after starting to use my "sticks", my feet had fully healed up.
At about the midway point on my camino, I had developed a morning and midday routine which would allow me to truely walk painless and enjoy fully the camino del Norte:
Morning - After waking up, foot lotion containing Urea on entire foot, top, bottom and sides (David turned me on to this). Next, Vaseline liberally on bottom of front of foot and toes, then SmartWool socks and then boots.
Midday - Boots and socks off. Feet allowed to cool down (soaked in cold water if available) for about 10-15 minutes. Then, Selvacam Gel 5mg/g Piroxicam (topical pain killer that takes away the "hot foot "feeling) on bottom of foot and toes. Let soak in about 5 min. Next, Vaseline on bottom of front of foot and all toes. Then, socks and boots. If it's a long stage, or there is a lot of asphalt walking, I do this midday treatment twice a day.
The Compeed is similiar to a bandaid, but there is no gaauze. You take the protective paper off, stretch the Compeed and place it on the injury (the ends touch or overlap for toes). Leave it on till it falls off by itself, for me, about a week. The tissue heals underneath and the Compeed becomes a second, thick, layer of skin. You need to apply the Compeed to dry, clean skin. It will not stick to skin with Vaseline on it, so I would apply it at night after shower before applying anything else.
Pete, if your camino is mostly flat (Frances, Portugues), you can train for that. If it is like the del Norte or Primitivo, train on trails with at least 1000 feet of vertical change, both up and down. Buy and learn how to properly use trekking poles (very important)! By the time I arrived in Bilbao, everybody I met knew about Vaseline, Compeed and Ibuprofen (all available at la farmacias). You can buy all of these for about €10, the Compeed being most expensive at about €7 per package (small, medium and large, or a combination package). The Selvacam Gel was a recommendation by a farmacia attndant. A 40 pack of 600 mg Ibuprofen costs less than €2 at la farmacia. Attached is a photo of my "repair kit" items.
If your camino is in fact mostly flat, you can get away with trial and error without too much damage. If your camino is hilly with significant ups and downs, you will suffer some injuries as you go forward. By Guernika, I saw foot, ankle, achiles heel, shin, knee and calf injuries. My personal survey told me most were as a result of no poles, or improper use of poles.
I have said most of what is in this post on other posts at this forum.
Buen Camino.
WV
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