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  1. Hiawatha

    Painful corns on foot - any advice?

    There is discomfort , there is pain and then there is ' Oh Hell why in blazes is that hot dagger sticking into my toe ' agony. I chose the moderate discomfort of having it dug out, a perfectly bearable inconvenience dealt with by a simple piece of gauze and elastoplas for three days . On the...
  2. Hiawatha

    Painful corns on foot - any advice?

    I can thoroughly recommend Madame Pilar in Pamploma . I had a pinky corn dealt with before I left that flared up again on the plane trip to Spain . Madame Pilar dug the wretched thing right out with little injury . It's never re materialsed again . Pilar Navarro, PODÓLOGA LABRIT C/MERCED +34...
  3. Hiawatha

    What exercises to do to strengthen lower back?

    Backs are as individual as fingerprints, no two are the same , especially injured ones . Sixty eight , two fused vertebrae, one laminectomy , many successful treks . My one piece of advice is to be very wary and very prepared when putting on or taking off your pack . It is when you are eager...
  4. Hiawatha

    plantar fasciitis

    Anti inflammatory medication and two simple exercises will help a little . Walk backwards along a corridor ( sounds silly ) . The corridor stops you falling over or crashing into things , walking backwards stretches the plantar ligament more than walking forwards . The other ; toes onto a step...
  5. Hiawatha

    Voltaren Avilability

    Voltaren 50mg enteric coated tablets are easier to find than Smarties . It is a serious and very effective drug if used correctly . Taken with a substantial meal well before lying down at night reduces reflux side effects .
  6. Hiawatha

    Big toe callus

    Call me brutal and rough , perhaps even abrasive ! I deal with calluses with emery paper . After showering the callus is soft and a 80 grit cloth backed emery will quickly reduce it to acceptable size . Dont go too far , your skin will tell you when to stop , takes only a moment or two ...
  7. Hiawatha

    Spine Fusion Adventure

    I walked the Frances , the Francigena and the GR70 after having two vertebrae fused as well as a Laminectomy . Depending on the type of procedure it might take some time to reach pre operative back muscle strength , the slightest incline felt like Everest to me for months afterwards . But you...
  8. Hiawatha

    Deep_Puncture_wound_right foot. What helped you w/ similar experience?

    Some thorns are brittle , they will shatter into many fragments when being removed , almost like the spines of a Sea Urchin . Deep puncture wounds to the foot are very painful but this is usually relatively short lived. Continuing severe pain calls for gram negative anti biotic treatment and...
  9. Hiawatha

    Preventing Black Toe ?

    Each time you lose a nail the bed weakens, the new nail is thinner and more susceptible to damage and the cycle persists. It will be some years, if ever before the damaged nails will become as resilient as they were before injury.
  10. Hiawatha

    Urban myths about boots and backs— are there others?

    I am in Vercelli now nursing a sore knee I am sure was brought about by miles of walking past rice paddies on rock hard gravel roads. I do wonder whether I will reach Rome at this rate. Yes I'm wearing Merrels . :)
  11. Hiawatha

    Urban myths about boots and backs— are there others?

    Sounds dreadful Alaskadiver ! Did you fall into the trap of using the ridiculously thin and non supportive inner soles that Merrell's come with ? I'm quite interested in just what caused such a collection of serious problems . I have chosen the reverse of your own selection of footwear , for...
  12. Hiawatha

    Food Poisoning in Carrion de los Condes.

    Don't laugh , di- hydrogen monoxide kills many thousands of people worldwide each year.:eek:
  13. Hiawatha

    Urban myths about boots and backs— are there others?

    Some one is confusing ''weight '' with torsional , lateral or shock loadings , all forces that conspire along with gravity to tear the cartilage and rip the tendons in healthy knee joints . If one was a ballet dancer or perhaps a professional footballer then you might have a chance to shift...
  14. Hiawatha

    Food Poisoning in Carrion de los Condes.

    Perhaps the water at the Parador in Santiago was ' Non Potable ' , for it was there that I experienced my only bought of the ' colliwobbles ' for the entire Camino . Whether food ,water or poor personal hygiene it is very difficult to determine the cause without direct testing for pathogens ...
  15. Hiawatha

    Food Poisoning in Carrion de los Condes.

    ''Seeing the cow being milked'' is no insurance against illness or disease either . Brucellosis or Undulant fever also historically named Malta fever is contracted from unpasturised milk from infected goats and cows , a dreadfully painful affliction with long lasting symptoms guaranteed to bring...
  16. Hiawatha

    Ok I’ll just say it...bladder leaks

    A referral from a GP or Urologist to a Continence Clinic could be very helpful in your situation . The generally kind, caring and knowledgeable staff can give you strategies and excercises [ not just Kegels ] to lessen the condition or at the very least make it more manageable .It's not hand...
  17. Hiawatha

    An unusual medical ailment

    Be grateful you weren't bitten on the eye :eek:
  18. Hiawatha

    Shoulder Strap Irritation

    Try feminine hygeine maxi pads , the self adhesive sorts with wings. Placed on the straps and over the most irritated area of the shoulder blades. They absorb moisture , are sterile and have anti bacterial properties as well as significant padding . If attached neatly they are discrete and...
  19. Hiawatha

    Insole question

    I use NeatFeat Wellness inner soles , without them I doubt if I could walk the distances I do . They are relatively inexpensive at Aus $30 and available from large chemist shops . The inner soles are made from a very resilient self moulding foam with good arch support and a non slip upper cover...
  20. Hiawatha

    Numbness where shoulder straps rest

    For the interim wrap self adhesive Maxi Pad hygiene napkins around the shoulder straps on the points of contact that hurt the most . After lightening your load the extra padding will help accelerate healing by reducing as much friction and pressure as possible . Don't be embarrassed either ...

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