LIVE from the Camino Difficult choice in Cacabellos

[Yodapsy]

I have been walking the Camino Frances from Pamplona since June 27. I am walking with my wife and teen kids (13&15). We have all been doing fine until today averaging about 26k per day. No major blisters or inflammation. Today after the long descent from Acebo into Ponferrada and then another 15+k to Cacabellos, my son (15) started complaining of sharp foot pains yet he had no blisters. The area around his right arch was very red. The hospitaleros here at the Muni Albuergue recommended I take him to the doctor. The doctor said that he has fasciitis, gave him some anti-inflammatories and said he needs to stay off his feet for 24hours. He is devastated as he wants to complete the whole walk uninterrupted and this would make the schedule too tight to get to SdC by the 25th (we fly out on the 26th). His schedule was for us to arrive on the 24th in the am to see the Pilgrim's Mass. Even if we can make it on the 25th it will likely be too crowded to see anything, right?

 

[Lydia Gillen]

My heartfelt sympathy goes to your son. The reality of Plantar Faciitis is far far worse than it sounds.
I woke up on Sunday 22 October 2001 and could not walk with pain. to make a long story short, I went to a wedding in December 2002,14 months later in a wheelchair.

Take care of him, get him to do stretches of the calf muscles, trying to get the angle between foot and leg as acute as possible whilst holding the knee straight.

Tell him the Camino will be there for him to walk again. My suggestion would be that one of his parents get the bus with him and let the other walk with the other child.

In Cacabellos there is a picture of St. Anthony playing cards with the infant Jesus. Your son has been dealt a miserable hand this time. There is surely a lesson for him in this. Do take care of him.

I honestly thought that I would never walk again. When I started the Camino in Roncesvalles in 2007 it was an act of humble thanksgiving for the gift of being able to walk. I think I never truly appreciated this gift until I lost it. |Now I am glad that I experienced Plantar faciitis as it makes me appreciate being able to walk so very much.

Make sure he has food in his stomach when he takes the anti-inflamatories.

God bless you all.

 

[Deleted member 22638]

I found taping my feet produced instant relief from Plantar Faciitis and I was able to keep going - eventually I got new orthopaedic insoles from a Farmacia, that were ok but not great - if you can find a Farmacia Ortopedia you will be able to get better insoles

The (very simple) taping method I used is in this video

http://youtu.be/Wy1ZEJ-kKTg

Best of luck & Buen Camino

 

[Laliibeans]

I tape my feet at the first signs of mine flaring, too and it's almost instant relief, but it's not a cure and as Lydia explain, it needs to be taken quite seriously and treated properly.

His intentions are good, but sometimes good intentions get interrupted. This is just one of those lessons that he has to come to terms with. Maybe the whole family should catch the bus for a section so he doesn't feel like he's missing out something that his sibling gets to do? It might be a fun experience for everyone to share.

Even after resting a day, his foot will be sore and if you're rushing to meet your tight time limit then it might cause more damage. Show him that's it's not a problem to change plans and that life has a way of doing that to everyone, I'm sure he'll treasure the memories of that much more than a long term crippling muscle problem.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I had a bit of this problem at home before walking last year. I saw a physio who said that lack of calf stretching was a major cause. She taught me several calf stretches and after a few days the problem was largely gone. You don't have those days up your sleeve, but stretches might help even if a few days have to be missed.
Margaret

 

[Yodapsy]

My son is doing much better now. We are in Arzua and plan to walk to after San Payo tomorrow. That should make for a nice 13 k walk into Santiago on the 24th.