• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Heel Spurs and Micro Tears and more oh my! Physio Update#1

Iriebabel

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2022

Hello fellow Pilgrims. As promised here is an update to my ongoing foot saga. 30 days to Spain and the Camino Del Norte !

Today was the first day of my physio. I was excited and dreading it at the same time. As most of you no doubt know PT (Physio) is affectionately known to us medics and patients alike as the pain and torture clinic ..extreme emphahis on the PAIN ( no offense to Physio providers ...love you guys/gals you do good work).

It was a beautiful sunny spring day in Florida as I made my way to Physio...a great parking space and a good day for torture I think? 🤔 I was instructed to fill out 6 pages of paperwork, although I have been seen in this very office many times before, and asking the very same questions. To be fair some things might have changed in my medical or personal history but why not ask me that..does patient X has any changes since we saw you last? Hmmm too simple ? Yeah probably. 😒 This is no doubt a pre curser to the torture beyond the brown doors. You know they close it to the outside because they don't want to scare the new people off with the screams coming from within...ok so I digress. Paper work complete. I gave my first born child and said hello to some of the staff who I remembered from before, I sat int he cramped chamber for a few minutes the they called my name.

I know you are waiting for me to say something bad here but really, everything was suprisingly pleasant. I hobbled in on crutches as usual and I expected a miracle and healing... you know..Throw the crutches away kind of thing, aaaah sadly it didn't happen🥺. I have to wait until monday for that. Podiatry visit...approval. Dang it! So anyway. I sat with the Physio and he went thru my medical history and the injury and that’s when the poking began...surprise folks! NO PAIN. 🥳. Ok so there was stiffness but no pain. YET...

The PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) Injection worked so far anyway, I have high hopes however he said something I did not wish to accept willingly “. You may not be healed in time”. WHAAT? 😱. Oh nooooo....Oh yes I will 😉... I explained with just 30 days until my flight it’s a bit too late for that kind of thinking. However, on the Norte I will be forced to send my pack forward at least for the first 2 weeks maybe more, also walk less daily km, and try to take it easy. But hey, I have new Superfeet Orange (instead of green) insoles in my new Hoka One Tor Ultra Hi WP which arrived today (see picture they are beautiful) ..... Oh yes it was a little touch of heaven when I added the superfeet orange insoles😍🥰 . It took a lot for me to give up my Lowa’s But they will have to be my around town athletic shoes ...no more nike’s For me....so sad but true.

Any way folks we are at the preverbial, we’ll see/we have high hopes of healing/ do your best in 14 physio visits/ I will be healed and go to the Camino Del Norte moment. He measured my range of motion in both feet and then we commenced with the torture . What? You actually thought I was going to get away without some pain ? Hmmmm not likely 😬 ...remember the clinic name ?

He gave me four specific stretches however...exercises are tailored to each person by the health professional/physio. I include it only as an aid to those of you who are having heel spur pain. Please seek help from Physio and or Podiatrist.

  1. lay down on your back use a towel under between your toes and arch, pull the towel towards you stretching your arch do 10 hold for 20 seconds each
  2. Face a set of steps or a wall place your toes on first step or the wall, press down with your weight putting pressure on the toes curling toes towards you .. do 10 hold for 20 seconds you should feel it in your arch and your calf but not in your heel
  3. Hold on to 2 chairs one on either side of you and you in the middle place the affected foot in back and the good foot in front make sure your toe are pointing straight adjust your step so your knees do not hurt and lean slightly forward stretching your arch and calf. Do not put weight on your heel. Do 10 hold for 30 second each
  4. Sit in a chair place feet flat on the floor lift toes towards you flexing up then lowing down slowly careful not to put stress on the heel hold 5 seconds 20 times52374
In all these you might feel some pressure but should not be painful to the heel. He said key is to feel pressure but no extreme pain then ice by rubbing lightly with ice from a frozen plastic cup or bottle for a minute then wrap a towel with the ice pack for 10 minutes 4 times per day. This part I cannot do until I get approval from podiatrist. PRP injections require no use of ice for 2 weeks and no NSAIDS or anti inflamitories.

I actually felt more pain my my cyborg turtle left knee today than I did in my heel spur.
So that was it for today except scheduling 3 times per week physio until I leave. And with that I went home stiff but not in pain..it was a good day.

Dont forget to check out the new Hoka’s (w/orange superfeet insoles) its like walking on air ...😍
 

Attachments

  • 9BB48B27-4CA8-4391-8302-E4C04CAC27BD.jpeg
    9BB48B27-4CA8-4391-8302-E4C04CAC27BD.jpeg
    951.1 KB · Views: 85
Last edited:
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
I love your unshakeable determination. I am really rooting for you and your recovery.

As a side note, those exercises are also great for help in avoiding and dealing with Plantars Fasciitis.
Thanks ...you made me blush. I am trying to keep a stiff upper lip 😅 ...If I belive I am going then I will ! Yes I included the exercised he gave me hoping to help some other pilgrims....a good stretch before during and after a walk can aid in recovery avoiding so many additional problems .
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Your Hokas look beautiful. I love them, too! It's like walking on marshmellows! (I almost said walking on eggshells!) Thankfully I caught that typo!
 
What a PITH (pain in the heel) :p. I have been wrestling with PF. Several injections, stretching, the infamous boot. I thought I would try some new insoles from the Good Feet store. I have been wearing the strengtheners for a about a month. It may be coincidental, but I think they are helping. Back to walking 10k 6 times a week. I still feel it a bit at the end of the day, but it is improving. I live in SWFL, so walking on pavement everyday. I wore Hoka Bondi 6 on the Frances last fall. I am sporting a pair of Altra Olympus 3 right now. I think I like them a little better. I have about 300 ~ 350 miles on them, and they seem to be holding up well.:D:cool:
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
What a PITH (pain in the heel) :p. I have been wrestling with PF. Several injections, stretching, the infamous boot. I thought I would try some new insoles from the Good Feet store. I have been wearing the strengtheners for a about a month. It may be coincidental, but I think they are helping. Back to walking 10k 6 times a week. I still feel it a bit at the end of the day, but it is improving. I live in SWFL, so walking on pavement everyday. I wore Hoka Bondi 6 on the Frances last fall. I am sporting a pair of Altra Olympus 3 right now. I think I like them a little better. I have about 300 ~ 350 miles on them, and they seem to be holding up well.:D:cool:
Wow I am happy you found something that works. The cortisone shot didn’t work for the heel spur so they decided to try the Plasma injection. So far so good. No pain today again and lots of different stretches on my second day of physio. Only slight discomfort around the areas of the actual injection when he massaged the area so at this point I can actually recommend the PRP treatment. If you have high arches like I do I recommend the Superfeet insoles Orange..they are softer than the green ones and really cup your heel, they also recommended by the Podiatrist. The green are great but the Orange are heaven . There is a superfeet insole for every feet..bought mine on Amazon...I seriously need to invest in that company they already have all my money🤣🤣🤣

I live in WCFL just north of Tampa in Hernando county so pavement here on the trails also. Last 6 months since the camino Frances no trails at all 😭. will keep you all updated. but I am really loving these Hoka Tor’s... I wore them today WITHOUT my crutches to physio...😳😃. wonderful ...
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I think I’m in Love with them they might have a place on my pillow tonight 😍😉🤣🤣.
no break in period, I wore them today for the first time...marshmellows you are so right 🥰
I wore mine on yhe Le Puy last June. Many rovks underfoot, but couldn't feel a one of them. The somewhat wider rim of the sole encompassed the shoe well and never once thought I might roll my foot or twist an ankle!
 
I wore mine on yhe Le Puy last June. Many rovks underfoot, but couldn't feel a one of them. The somewhat wider rim of the sole encompassed the shoe well and never once thought I might roll my foot or twist an ankle!
I am very happy to hear that. This one is much higher than my Lowa’s but I really like it. With the left knee in a brace I need stability from ankle rolls. It really felt very stable now with the heel spur on the right foot. I have not placed my left foot flat on the ground for 2 weeks and I was able to walk today without the crutches in complete comfort. This shoe has given me new additional confidence for the camino.
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!

Most read last week in this forum

I'm about a 6 weeks away from beginning the French Camino. Depending on how I feel when I get to St. Jean, I will either take a train back to Portugal, or continue on to Santiago. In the...
Hola, I was really hoping to walk the Camino again this coming summer but despite all my hopes and planning I am in need of a hip replacement instead, yea! I walked the Frances in 2017 and have...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Similar threads

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top