Glenn Rowe
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
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Resting with my legs up the wall was a part of my daily end-of-walking aftercare. A pair of my shoes that were starting to get tight when I left for the Camino were actually loose when I returned. I suspect that this happened because the amount of weight I lost outpaced the spreading due to long distance walking. Hadn't considered that elevating my feet might have been a factor as well.I've read several times that people have experienced their feet swelling up to a full size or more while on the Camino. We were always taught to rest with our feet slightly higher than our hearts while taking a break from walking. Has anyone tried this on the Camino?
Not necessarily. If they work for you, go with them. Just be flexible in sock type. Bring some ultra-thin running variety if you are concerned your feet MIGHT get larger. I repeat, might. It's just another "what-if" that serves no use when walking the Camino.So those nice comfy Keens that I finally found and fit me like a glove are not going to work?! Ugh women's 9 have to find a 10 1/2? I'm thinking men's shoes might be better! Maybe by end of the journey I will be able to walk on water with my new boats
Not necessarily. If they work for you, go with them. Just be flexible in sock type. Bring some ultra-thin running variety if you are concerned your feet MIGHT get larger. I repeat, might. It's just another "what-if" that serves no use when walking the Camino.
Oh yeah, no doubt proper shoes are probably on top of the list there as far as Camino equipment. The only bad thing is that there is no way of knowing how shoes will perform on a 25k walk with a pack up and down hills until you actually do one with them on. Otherwise it's a crap shoot. The good thing is that if all else fails, and one's shoes/boots are a total fail, you can get another pair at different places along the Camino.Thank you. This is the biggest question I've been struggling with how to compensate for a what if. Shoes to me are the most important for the walk... bad shoes bad journey...
Yup, elevating the feet is a 50+-year habit of mine. Plus, I have a surprising amount of medical/rehabilitation knowledge and experience. My wife is a yoga instructor as are many of her friends.Elevate and air out your feet at you breaks on the way, if you can. As a yoga instructor/nurse, the legs up the wall is a marvelous pose at the end of your day too.
Oh yeah, no doubt proper shoes are probably on top of the list there as far as Camino equipment. The only bad thing is that there is no way of knowing how shoes will perform on a 25k walk with a pack up and down hills until you actually do one with them on
Micah26, I wore keens too which I had walked in for 6 months, with my loaded pack prior to going with no problems, however I did get terrible blisters on the Camino as my feet swelled so much, so go up a size if you can. I took a pair of Teva's too.
G'day Micah26,
My wife buys mens hiking boots so she can get a wider fit. She also has a pair of walking sandals which she wears with her socks.........
We also have thick and thin socks and plenty of vaseline so we have some chance of managing potential swelling and blisters. It's most important to have healthy feet as they carry us through our Camino's.
I've read several times that people have experienced their feet swelling up to a full size or more while on the Camino. We were always taught to rest with our feet slightly higher than our hearts while taking a break from walking. Has anyone tried this on the Camino?
I tried several pair of boots and found the Keene the best for me. I purchased them at size 11.5 where I normally wear a 10. They worked really well. I have very wide feet.So those nice comfy Keens that I finally found and fit me like a glove are not going to work?! Ugh women's 9 have to find a 10 1/2? I'm thinking men's shoes might be better! Maybe by end of the journey I will be able to walk on water with my new boats
I have what I call Fred Flintstone feet! Wide flat could be used as brakesKeens and Tevas seem to fit the best for me. I readcwhere someone bought a size 3x larger than they wear! I don't know how they walked esp chalky going downhill! So it's seems consensus is 1-1/2 sizes larger I will consult with the experts and go from there. Thank you for your help!I tried several pair of boots and found the Keene the best for me. I purchased them at size 11.5 where I normally wear a 10. They worked really well. I have very wide feet.
There is no consensus on this, except that your shoes should be plenty roomy.it's seems consensus is 1-1/2 sizes larger
There is no consensus on this, except that your shoes should be plenty roomy.
An arbitrary number of sizes "bigger than normal" does not make sense. What size units are we talking about - US half sizes, UK sizes, or European? How roomy are your "normal" shoes, and do you have long toes or short ones like mine that never get near the end of a shoe?
I hope not - re feet getting larger and largerMy feet grew from a UK 5.5 to a 7 and so my boots no longer fitted. I wasn't expecting this at all as these were old well worn in boots I'd had for years, boots I trusted. However never before had I walked pretty much everyday for 5 weeks straight... with a few days off along the way. My feet haven't gone back in size 8 months later.... I'm assuming when I return to do the last section they won't go up another size and a half again! Do people who do multiple Caminos have huge feet I wonder?
I have suspected this for a while, but feel better knowing that it is common - I'll now get on with investing in a larger size!.... It isn't swelling, they are actually longer which I suspect is to do with the foot flattening out due load bearing over the 1,000 kms. ...
I've read several times that people have experienced their feet swelling up to a full size or more while on the Camino. We were always taught to rest with our feet slightly higher than our hearts while taking a break from walking. Has anyone tried this on the Camino?
I've read several times that people have experienced their feet swelling up to a full size or more while on the Camino. We were always taught to rest with our feet slightly higher than our hearts while taking a break from walking. Has anyone tried this on the Camino?
I bought larger shoes and for me it was a mistake. I did take care to stop every two hours during the first week or ten days when I was 'getting used to it' and take off shoes and socks and rest at least 15 minutes. Then the temps dropped to very cool and I stopped doing it. I gave us wearing my oversized shoes and walked the rest (Burgos to Santiago) wearing Birkenstock EVA sandals with double socks. No pain, no blisters, for ME they were great. So anything is possible.
This won't work for everyone, but I just wanted you to know that some people do not have the creeping foot size syndrome. I should note that I walked in my daily work at least 10000 steps a day for 20 years and I wore good walking shoes (read as unfashionable) every day. I see so many shoe threads, but one must consider their own feet and style, little of this is transferable in my opinion. It is one of the lessons the Camino teaches us.
Coincidently today I sold my two pairs of size 11 Hoka and Columbia shoes on Ebay.
Compression socks gave me the most terrible hiker's rash ever. Haha - there is no universal solution!So I recommend compression sock.
Because of the compression?Compression socks gave me the most terrible hiker's rash ever. Haha - there is no universal solution!
Not sure. Since the cause of hiker's rash (a vasculitis) is not well understood in the first place, it is hard to say. It might have been friction and/or sweat and/or compression, but it was dramatic at the end of that day.Because of the compression?
Not sure. Since the cause of hiker's rash (a vasculitis) is not well understood in the first place, it is hard to say. It might have been friction and/or sweat and/or compression, but it was dramatic at the end of that day.
Whuich Half size? UK, Euro, US or Asian????
Even walking steps every day I would guess you didn't do this with a rucksack on your back?I bought larger shoes and for me it was a mistake. I did take care to stop every two hours during the first week or ten days when I was 'getting used to it' and take off shoes and socks and rest at least 15 minutes. Then the temps dropped to very cool and I stopped doing it. I gave us wearing my oversized shoes and walked the rest (Burgos to Santiago) wearing Birkenstock EVA sandals with double socks. No pain, no blisters, for ME they were great. So anything is possible.
This won't work for everyone, but I just wanted you to know that some people do not have the creeping foot size syndrome. I should note that I walked in my daily work at least 10000 steps a day for 20 years and I wore good walking shoes (read as unfashionable) every day. I see so many shoe threads, but one must consider their own feet and style, little of this is transferable in my opinion. It is one of the lessons the Camino teaches us.
Coincidently today I sold my two pairs of size 11 Hoka and Columbia shoes on Ebay.
Yep, I'm with you. I use Smart Wool Phd medium weight high socks that work like compression socks. I alternated low socks and found my energy level a tad better with the compression socks. You can tell how much energy you have after each break you take. When tired it's hard to stand up from a sitting position.Im surprised no one mention swollen calves.
I had problem with swollen calves, and cramps after a few days of walking.
So I recommend compression sock.
A compression sock helps the blood circulation and helps against swollen legs, fatigue and cramp.
I carried a rucksack with a laptop and other business stuff, likely about 4 kilos. But it was much smaller than what I used on the Camino.Even walking steps every day I would guess you didn't do this with a rucksack on your back?
You can tell how much energy you have after each break you take. When tired it's hard to stand up from a sitting position.
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