BROWNCOUNTYBOB
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances: 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021
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In Cindi's shoes I'd get a second or even third opinion about that. Maybe she can do shorter caminos in shorter stages. Maybe treatment and exercise can increase her bone density. I'm no expert, but do talk to more than one. .And the doctor said that with Cindi's history of stress fractures and treatment for osteoporosis, Cindi should not consider ever walking the camino again!
Or you could shorten your days to lessen the strain. That's what I did after a stress fracture on my first Camino attempt. I made it only to Viana. My husband and I have been back twice since then. We used Jacotrans so that I was only carrying a day pack and we shortened our days; 6 - 10 miles and built in more rest days. Hopefully you'll have the time to do that.Preparing for our first camino frances in 2015, I read many books and consulted with the Camino Forum several times each day. In addition to the obvious guidance, regarding backpack selection, good hiking boots, etc the two most important Camino Rules I recalled were "Listen to your body" and "Walk at your own pace. We met a peregrina at the Logrono municipal (by the foot soaking pool) and she was hobbling badly. She had developed an injury to one of her feet, went to see a doctor and he strongly advised she stay off her feet for the next 5 to 7 days. She was quite upset since she would not be able to continue hiking with her pilgrim family.
Later during this camino, my wife's blisters caused her to walk differently, which progressed into foot pain. Fortunately we learned about Jacotrans and we began transporting her backpack ahead from Carrion de los Condes every day until we reached Santiago. Cindi's foot pain continued and when we returned home, she went to a doctor and learned she developed stress fractures in her knee and foot. Not too serious and she fully recovered.
No problems on second or third caminos. For our camino this fall, the pattern returned. First Cindi developed a few painful blisters on several toes. Then pain started developing in her right leg. The pain increased over time. We convinced ourselves that this was tendonitis or "shin splints" that high doses of ibuprofen would reduce the pain and swelling. We never considered going to a doctor. Then something changed for the worse in Palas de Rei. With only three more days of hiking until we reached Santiago, we continued hiking approx 20 kms per day for the next three days. We made it to Santiago and collected our compostelas, but Cindi could barely hobble even with her trekking poles. Other than leaving our hotel to get a COVID test, she barely left our room in Santiago. Same for Madrid except to enjoying grilled pulpo at our favorite, nearby restaurant. By the time we were in transit at the Miami airport, she needed a wheelchair. Same for our arrival in Indianapolis.
She immediately went to an orthopedic doctor. Cindi had developed a severe stress fracture in her tibia and one or two others in her right leg. The doctor told her to remain in bed for the next four weeks, use a wheelchair to get around, and use a bedpan to go to the toilet. Cindi said these were not feasible, but agreed to use crutches, a walking boot, apply ice frequently and spend all her time on the couch during the day. The doctor warned her that if she did not comply, surgery may be needed.
She went to a followup appointment. The bone is healing slowly and the doctor ordered Cindi to remain off her feet for another 4 1/2 weeks. Of course, she is not allowed to drive. So best case scenario is after her next appointment "if she can walk" Cindi will have spent 8 1/2 weeks confined to bed and couch which is several weeks longer than the time walking the camino.
Lesson learned about "Listen to your body". We did not and are paying the price. And the doctor said that with Cindi's history of stress fractures and treatment for osteoporosis, Cindi should not consider ever walking the camino again! So after hiking the camino four times with Cindi from St Jean to Santiago every two years, my next camino in 2023 will be solo. I will need to heed the important lesson myself.
Bob
Thanks for sharing Bob, listen to your body & medical advice is the lesson I've taken ftom this story. I hope Cindi continues to improve.Preparing for our first camino frances in 2015, I read many books and consulted with the Camino Forum several times each day. In addition to the obvious guidance, regarding backpack selection, good hiking boots, etc the two most important Camino Rules I recalled were "Listen to your body" and "Walk at your own pace. We met a peregrina at the Logrono municipal (by the foot soaking pool) and she was hobbling badly. She had developed an injury to one of her feet, went to see a doctor and he strongly advised she stay off her feet for the next 5 to 7 days. She was quite upset since she would not be able to continue hiking with her pilgrim family.
Later during this camino, my wife's blisters caused her to walk differently, which progressed into foot pain. Fortunately we learned about Jacotrans and we began transporting her backpack ahead from Carrion de los Condes every day until we reached Santiago. Cindi's foot pain continued and when we returned home, she went to a doctor and learned she developed stress fractures in her knee and foot. Not too serious and she fully recovered.
No problems on second or third caminos. For our camino this fall, the pattern returned. First Cindi developed a few painful blisters on several toes. Then pain started developing in her right leg. The pain increased over time. We convinced ourselves that this was tendonitis or "shin splints" that high doses of ibuprofen would reduce the pain and swelling. We never considered going to a doctor. Then something changed for the worse in Palas de Rei. With only three more days of hiking until we reached Santiago, we continued hiking approx 20 kms per day for the next three days. We made it to Santiago and collected our compostelas, but Cindi could barely hobble even with her trekking poles. Other than leaving our hotel to get a COVID test, she barely left our room in Santiago. Same for Madrid except to enjoying grilled pulpo at our favorite, nearby restaurant. By the time we were in transit at the Miami airport, she needed a wheelchair. Same for our arrival in Indianapolis.
She immediately went to an orthopedic doctor. Cindi had developed a severe stress fracture in her tibia and one or two others in her right leg. The doctor told her to remain in bed for the next four weeks, use a wheelchair to get around, and use a bedpan to go to the toilet. Cindi said these were not feasible, but agreed to use crutches, a walking boot, apply ice frequently and spend all her time on the couch during the day. The doctor warned her that if she did not comply, surgery may be needed.
She went to a followup appointment. The bone is healing slowly and the doctor ordered Cindi to remain off her feet for another 4 1/2 weeks. Of course, she is not allowed to drive. So best case scenario is after her next appointment "if she can walk" Cindi will have spent 8 1/2 weeks confined to bed and couch which is several weeks longer than the time walking the camino.
Lesson learned about "Listen to your body". We did not and are paying the price. And the doctor said that with Cindi's history of stress fractures and treatment for osteoporosis, Cindi should not consider ever walking the camino again! So after hiking the camino four times with Cindi from St Jean to Santiago every two years, my next camino in 2023 will be solo. I will need to heed the important lesson myself.
Bob
I appreciate your words and thank you to the hiker who shared his journey around pushing through, at great cost. I have walked two portions of the Camino (I had hoped to walk from Roncesvalles to Santiago the first time, made it to Logroño. This fall I started in Logroño and made it to Leon. I stumbled in Leon and strained the muscle group below and to the left of my knee. I went through a similar interior battle. There were tears both times. My Camino family was supportive and put no pressure on me as I wrestled with my decision. In the end, I decided to stop in Leon. The physiotherapist I went to in Leon said I needed this muscle group to ascend and descend. I decided to listen to my body. It was an emotional battle for me. I caught (hobbled) to the train and got to Madrid and flew home. Deep down I knew I was making the right decision. I had battled the “I don’t want to leave my Camino family, the embarrassment of another aborted attempt” and I came home. My physiotherapist at home concurred with my Spanish one. He said, I could have done long term harm by continuing on. I am 61 and I want to stay active (within my control). I came home reframing my walk as my European experience, as many Europeans do a week or two at a time. I am okay with that. I enjoyed every day both times, even though there were moments I didn’t enjoy. I met interesting and lovely people (mostly) and my soul was nourished by the walk and by choosing self care. It is just hard to know sometimes when you should push on. This time, I knew I needed to stop. I will get to Santiago someday. I hope to go back in the fall of 2022, but my mantra is, “to hold it all lightly”.How much of this would we avoid if there were less a competitive (even interior with ourselves) aspect to the contemporary camino?
The Compostela requires 100k on foot... not more than that.
Not everyone requires a Compostela.
But there is so much "general discourse" out there that has a rather "macho" (sorry... can't think of a better word for it now)... that puts the pilgrimage into a contemporary march of suffering, or extreme endurance *sport*.
For those seeking the blessing of St. James... truly, one has only to visit the cathedral. We see them as ordinary worshipers whose home parish happens to be the cathedral; we see them arriving in church-organized bus tours...
But there are people out there who pressure and push... who aver that *walking* is the point (rather than arriving).
I have even seen (on a popular Vlogger's channel) an assertion that one has not appreciated the "true pilgrimage" if they have come only from Sarria... that it is *stupid superstition* to go to the cathedral when one could so much more "powerfully" walk any other stretch of the caminos (never to reach SdC at all).
I am so sorry for @BROWNCOUNTYBOB and his wife to have had this injurious experience... and I do not criticize them here at all...
But I am remembering all the cacophonous chatter on my two CF's (that I really had to learn to ignore) that pressured people to ignore their bodies, to press on...
And I remember the wisdom of the first hospitalera I ever encountered... who tried to persuade people be sensible.... She told us that "It's not a marathon; it's not a race, and the camino *will* always win, always endure... whatever foolish things you do; so do not do foolish things thinking you will conquer the camino. The camino will conquer you."
That stuck with me.
I hope that the "culture" out there can change...
I *know* that for those who have to travel very far on expensive tickets for a "once in a lifetime" journey there can be real fear of "giving up".... but what if it were not giving up....? What if it were a recognition that this thing is bigger than we are.
I am trying to avoid religious ideas so as not to tread on forum rules... but the idea of "surrender" keeps coming to me.
I hope that @BROWNCOUNTYBOB's wife recuperates without complication.
My second attempt I stopped more. I enjoyed rest days and I felt much better.Thanks for all your empathy! An interesting comment Cindi made last night was that both times she developed stress fracturs (CF 1 and CF4), we hiked the Napoleon route. We hiked the Val Carlos route for CF2 and CF3 and she did not experience foot / knee pain.
Cindi was already taking Prolea (sp?) for osteoporosis in her spine, this may be a major contributing factor. We are both age 64 and in good health. We walk our beagle (George) each morning and exercise on the treadmill and elliptical five days a week. Still, we hiked 35 straight days, no rest days. A few days we hiked 30 to 32 kms. In hindsight, we should have not pushed ourselves that hard.
Thinking ahead to me hiking solo in two years, I may decide to start in Pamplona, take a few rest days along the way and listen to my body !
Bob
In 2005 I hiked up Kilimanjaro to celebrate a milestone birthday. I had promised myself that it didn't matter if I made it to the summit or not; it was the fact that I was fortunate enough health-wise and financially to make the attempt that counted.How much of this would we avoid if there were less a competitive (even interior with ourselves) aspect to the contemporary camino?
AgreeI spent 46 days, even though I could have easily done it in 30. Next time I’ll spend even longer. Because I can. I know not everyone has abundant time.
What’s the rush? And who said you have to do the whole lot? The point is to enjoy the bit you do, enjoy the company of pilgrims while you’re on it and get to Santiago if you can, when you can.
It’s not a race. It’s not a sports event. It’s not a festival. It’s just a quiet long walk along beautiful scenery with good people and plenty of time to reflect.
This is a brief and brilliant summary of much of the good advice on this thread.So, don't try to outwit the Camino!!
This is one reason that my top piece of advice to those planning their first Camino is give yourself more days than you think you could possibly need. The last thing you want when your body is telling you to slow down or stop for a while is a looming deadline for a flight home that is telling you the opposite - you need to rush and cover many kilometers a day to reach Santiago in time.While the advice to go slowly, take rest days, and walk your own walk makes perfect sense - it can still be very difficult to follow through in the moment.
That’s it"Listen to your body" and "Walk at your own pace."
That's basically it in a nutshell.
This is one reason that my top piece of advice to those planning their first Camino is give yourself more days than you think you could possibly need. The last thing you want when your body is telling you to slow down or stop for a while is a looming deadline for a flight home that is telling you the opposite - you need to rush and cover many kilometers a day to reach Santiago in time.
A sobering thread indeed, now that I can appreciate what could have befallen me when I relied on the prescription meds that a fellow peregrina so generously shared with me, to deal with debilitating pain from tendinitis that persisted even after the five days rest that the doctor had recommended. I managed to continue my camino and fortunately - unlike so many others - never encountered any further complications. I wonder if there was some kind of divine intervention happening for me back then because, at the time, abandoning my ‘walk’ and coming back home was not an option.This is a sobering thread full of good insight.
While the advice to go slowly, take rest days, and walk your own walk makes perfect sense - it can still be very difficult to follow through in the moment.
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