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Leg Heat Rash - Golfer's Vasculitis and socks

Rambler

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
June 2008 Camino Frances with Daughter, 2014 Camino Frances with Son
Last camino I got a red leg rash that looked like an allergic reaction to something. In Sarria I stopped at the hospital and they gave me a cream that seemed to make it go away.
It appears to have been Golfer's Vasculitis.
For this year' strip, I was going to wear hiking shoes instead of boots and low socks and liners.
I have a couple of questions:
Is this a common problem for other pelegrinos?
Where can I find shorter liner socks? All the ones in my local store are calf height. Those of you that wear low socks. What type of liners do you use?

Thanks.
Rambler
 
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Rohan inner and hot socks work for us. The smaller sizes are listed under women's and the larger sizes under men's. The Corrymoor mohair sock size guide gives USA/UK/EU equivelents which also work for Rohan. I use the Companion and Sportsman walking socks from Corrymoor with Rohan liners.
Both firms will send world wide.
 
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Last camino I got a red leg rash that looked like an allergic reaction to something.

My experience is this "rash" is broken capillaries because your legs aren't used to the long walking and weight you carry. I get this the first few days of each camino, no matter how hot or cold the weather.

I sometimes rub it with alcohol and it disappears after a few days. It doesn't itch, doesn't bother me except to look horrible. It eventually just fades… I've seen it many times on other pilgrims their first few days. I have a photo of my legs - here's the best one from when I walked from Lourdes.

2u7prmp.jpg


And here when I walked the VDLP the first time:

2icb5m1.jpg
 
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Last camino I got a red leg rash that looked like an allergic reaction to something. In Sarria I stopped at the hospital and they gave me a cream that seemed to make it go away.
It appears to have been Golfer's Vasculitis.
For this year' strip, I was going to wear hiking shoes instead of boots and low socks and liners.
I have a couple of questions:
Is this a common problem for other pelegrinos?
Where can I find shorter liner socks? All the ones in my local store are calf height. Those of you that wear low socks. What type of liners do you use?

Thanks.
Rambler
I get this, too. Very common with hikers. I have found that rolling or folding my socks down works fine for me. Thanks for giving it a name :)
 
I was lucky and only had it once, on my first day on the mesata. If I had not read about it here on the forum, I would have been worried. I used regular hand lotion and luckily it went away quickly. When it was hot, I started to fold down my socks onto my boots, don't know if that helped me.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
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Based on everyone's comments here, this is pretty common and not really treatable.
Also, it sounds like a lower calf height liner sock is about the lowest I will find. I was just thinking that the less friction form the sock on the lower leg, the less of the rash I am likely to get.
But I cant find any.

Rambler
 

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I always have this sort of reaction when I walk further than 15km or it is hotter than 30C. That means it's my constant bushwalking companion in the Australian summer. Sometimes I also have it in the spots that my backpack shoulder and hip belts touch my body. I have never been a good sweater and I suspect that this inability to regulate my body heat plays a part in the formation of the rash.

I went to the doctor after a particularly bad episode and she diagnosed urticaria. Before a bushwalk and every day on a long-distance walk I take an antihistamine which doesn't always prevent it but does help keep contain it.

On a long-distance walk, the rash seems to hit its peak at about the three day mark. At this point I usually have swelling as well and a couple of times have had a slight temperature. The next day my body starts flushing itself (i.e. I start peeing and sweating more) and the swelling settles down.

In my attempts to find out what worked best for me, I ended up with an entire drawer full of walking socks of various thickness, design, brands. I walk in shorts and though I favour mid-height boots, I have them very loose around the ankle (sort of defeats the purpose of wearing mids but my feet like these boots) and have tried folding my socks over the top of the boot so they are not gripping my ankle. Nothing seemed to work and in the end I just accepted that day 3-4 was going to be uncomfortable with the swelling but that I would survive and in the big scheme of things I was very fortunate to be able to do what I love to do and that my only physical problem was swollen/hot legs that would recover almost overnight. The redness lasts much longer but doesn't matter, it might be unsightly but that's only a cosmetic concern.
 
I get a red rash on the tops of my feet, ankles and just above the ankles and it is definitely (in my case) a heat rash. It only happens in hot weather. Low socks, just wearing thin liners or sandals is the answer for me.
 
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I had what I think was the same problem when I was training for my first Camino, on hotter days when I walked a long way. I found that hydrocortisone cream made it go away, but if I never treated it, it tended to get worse.

When I actually started walking the Camino I started in cooler weather, mid-April from Le Puy. Interestingly, I never had that problem again. It was as if all the walking I did on cooler days, before I hit the hot weather again, had 'fixed' the problem, and I was glad to discover that.
Margaret
 
I have actually cut off the elastic top part of the socks to make them lower and that works as a temporary fix for me. Lower and looser around the calf seem to minimize this. Weird thing.
 
I have actually cut off the elastic top part of the socks to make them lower and that works as a temporary fix for me. Lower and looser around the calf seem to minimize this. Weird thing.

I have some high top boots which I thought would be a good idea with my history of twisted ankles. They were working pretty well until I laced them tightly........golfers vasculitis.jpg

I understand heat and pressure cause this. I my case heat was not the issue. Off to shop for boots.
 
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I finally found cycling socks that I will use for my liners. I also ordered a pair of wrightsocks to use that are 1/4 socks. Between the two, and the 1/4 hiking socks, hopefully this will not occur. If it does, I will but cortisone at a farmacia I guess.
Thanks for the good info.
Rambler
 
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Rambler, you don't need cortisone.
It's not a rash that cortisone will help.
It is caused by tiny vessels breaking because your legs are not used to walking 6 hours each day carrying a pack.
If you just leave it alone, it goes away on its own.
 
It look as though there isn't much in the way of treatment recommendations. Prednisone, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, Celebrex, , Aleve, and Naprosyn, and antihistamines have all been recommended but as Annie said it goes away in a few days with or without filling yourself with drugs.

Most people assume it was a reaction to something like wool socks or poison ivy, but hot weather, walking and tight rubbing fit are the cause. In my case, I had been doing longer hikes in hotter weather with the same socks, but I thought I'd see how the boots felt nice and tight. Ackkkkk.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

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When I had mine, I also had an extreme pain in my lower leg/ankle and could barely walk. We stopped in Sarria at the hospital and they gave me a shot in the bum that I assume was an antibiotic. All know is that the rash and the pain were all gone in a day.
It must have been coincidental.
Rambler
 
Rambler, I bet that shot was cortisone. It whacks rashes and inflammation like nothing else, and it´s cheap!

I am allergic to most good socks, I have determined it is the combination of wool and latex (in the elastic.) My underpants do the same thing to me if the elastic is not sewn-over... YIKES.

I put on some "crema alergical" (available without RX at any spanish pharmacy) and it goes away. Strangely, I can wear SmartWool pullovers all winter with no ill effect, but SmartWool socks (with the built-in elastic) always give me a nasty rash like the photos above. Ergo, I think it´s the latex.
 
Rambler, I bet that shot was cortisone. It whacks rashes and inflammation like nothing else, and it´s cheap!

I am allergic to most good socks, I have determined it is the combination of wool and latex (in the elastic.) My underpants do the same thing to me if the elastic is not sewn-over... YIKES.

I put on some "crema alergical" (available without RX at any spanish pharmacy) and it goes away. Strangely, I can wear SmartWool pullovers all winter with no ill effect, but SmartWool socks (with the built-in elastic) always give me a nasty rash like the photos above. Ergo, I think it´s the latex.
I am getting a bit confused then.
Is this a capillary issue or an allergic reaction? You can't do anything for capillary issues other than remove the restrictions, correct?

I do recall the nurse giving me a creme to put on it, but I don't recall what it was. By Santiago, the rash and pain were but a memory.

For allergic reactions, cortisone would help. Is crema alergical cortisone? I bought crema ibuprofena when it started hurting, but it just masked the pain a bit.

Granted I am a big baby, but at the time I thought it was going to end my Camino. It felt like a hairline fracture or something. Could that have been tendonitis? Cortisone is used for that also, correct?

But thanks to the Spanish medical system, it was better than new in a day.

Rambler
 
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I am not a doctor or allergist, but I know the cortisone works both topically and internally to reduce inflammation and stop itching. Ibuprofen is another anti-inflammatory that works a different way, and applied in cream form it helps aching muscles stop hurting. I have never heard of anyone getting an injection of ibuprofen, but lots of people --- including me -- have had cortisone injections that make things better fast.

(the downside: cortisone is also very volatile when it comes to extended use. The side effects can be very nasty.)
 
Last camino I got a red leg rash that looked like an allergic reaction to something. In Sarria I stopped at the hospital and they gave me a cream that seemed to make it go away.
It appears to have been Golfer's Vasculitis.
For this year' strip, I was going to wear hiking shoes instead of boots and low socks and liners.
I have a couple of questions:
Is this a common problem for other pelegrinos?
Where can I find shorter liner socks? All the ones in my local store are calf height. Those of you that wear low socks. What type of liners do you use?

Thanks.
Rambler
I was lucky and only had it once, on my first day on the mesata. If I had not read about it here on the forum, I would have been worried. I used regular hand lotion and luckily it went away quickly. When it was hot, I started to fold down my socks onto my boots, don't know if that helped me.
Hi I'm relatively new to the forum but have had the same problem as many of you. I went to a consultant at my local hospital on my return from the Camino and it's also called Exercise Induced Vasculitis. Creams do not work as it's tiny blood vessels coming to the surface. Avoiding getting it is best as it's left me with permanent patches just above my ankles. I didn't get much advice on how to avoid it but removing socks and boots whenever you rest and keeping your feet elevated when possible helps to lessen the outbreak. I was also told Lymphatic drainage which I take to be some kind of massage? Keeping your feet cool is helpful too so dip your feet in Streams may help. Some people get the rash mildly and it goes away. I understand that it's more prevalent with age.
 
Hi I'm relatively new to the forum but have had the same problem as many of you. I went to a consultant at my local hospital on my return from the Camino and it's also called Exercise Induced Vasculitis. Creams do not work as it's tiny blood vessels coming to the surface. Avoiding getting it is best as it's left me with permanent patches just above my ankles. I didn't get much advice on how to avoid it but removing socks and boots whenever you rest and keeping your feet elevated when possible helps to lessen the outbreak. I was also told Lymphatic drainage which I take to be some kind of massage? Keeping your feet cool is helpful too so dip your feet in Streams may help. Some people get the rash mildly and it goes away. I understand that it's more prevalent with age.
On my second Camino with the lower socks and shoes, I had much less of it. then one day I decided to wear a crew height pair of socks and it hit with a vengeance. It took days to go away and looked horrible.

Guess will just have to live with it...

Rambler
 

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Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

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This forum is amazing! I experienced this myself for the first time on Saturday, and today I log on and this thread has surfaced! Very interesting - I had assumed it was some type of heat rash but it's kind of reassuring (I guess) to hear it is so common (a bit of Googling finds lengthy discussions on other hiking-related sites). In my case, I wore trail runners with Thorlo hiking socks and women's opaque 'knee highs' ('pop-socks' to some) as liners, both folded down as far as possible but with the result I had a thick band of sock around my ankle, the inner layer not very breathable. I had no problems with this combo last time I used it - but that was in the winter. The redness was there yesterday on both ankles when I took off the socks - after my first long walk (15km) in my programme of building back up to fitness after surgery - Anniesantiago's comment about legs not being used to walking would be correct there, as it's about 4 months since I last did a walk of that length, although I've been building up and walking around 10km. It was also very hot (summer here) - despite an early start it was nearing 30C by the later part of the walk (late morning), and humidity quite high. I thought it may have been the liners causing heat to build up, but it sounds as though it's more complicated than that. Next time I'll try without them, or else use them but fold the socks down differently so as not to get such a thick band round my ankles.
 
My consultant recommended wearing flight sock on the Camino! Nothing doing! It's bad enough on a plane! I found like some of you that folding socks down as low as possible was best for me. Mine were ankle socks made with wool. I've also tried soft tops which are loose around the ankle but the quality isn't so good. For me the improvement was removing socks and shoes every time I stopped for a break, just like JB advises in his book! :) It really does work. Don't waste money on pills & potions as they don't work. Actually it's not that well documented although you can look up Exercise Induced Vasculitis on the web, there's very little out there! The chemists in Spain were so shocked by my red blotchy legs they said I needed urgent treatment! That tells you how horrid it looks. The Spanish clinic gave me Hydrocortisone cream thinking it was a rash. On my return to England the condition was diagnosed. At least I know what it's called and yes Golfers get it too! Raise your legs against a wall when resting helps too. Happy walking!
 
Last camino I got a red leg rash that looked like an allergic reaction to something. In Sarria I stopped at the hospital and they gave me a cream that seemed to make it go away.
It appears to have been Golfer's Vasculitis.
For this year' strip, I was going to wear hiking shoes instead of boots and low socks and liners.
I have a couple of questions:
Is this a common problem for other pelegrinos?
Where can I find shorter liner socks? All the ones in my local store are calf height. Those of you that wear low socks. What type of liners do you use?

Thanks.
Rambler
I get a red rash on the tops of my feet, ankles and just above the ankles and it is definitely (in my case) a heat rash. It only happens in hot weather. Low socks, just wearing thin liners or sandals is the answer for me.
I know this is a late response to your post but I cannot seem to start a newer thread on this topic. My problem is that I am wearing compression sleeves for shin splints and a stretchy knee brace for a dodgy knee during my training for walking in 2016 and now am fearful that I may have problems with wearing them during the actual walk. Are they likely to cause hiker's rash?
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I know this is a late response to your post but I cannot seem to start a newer thread on this topic. My problem is that I am wearing compression sleeves for shin splints and a stretchy knee brace for a dodgy knee during my training for walking in 2016 and now am fearful that I may have problems with wearing them during the actual walk. Are they likely to cause hiker's rash?

If you do enough hiking in preparation, you should have the answer. The exception might be if you don't have any hot weather for your training hikes, and you are going during a hot time of the year.

I've had no problem causing the rash in a day hike. I was able to figure out the boot/sock combinations which caused it and used something different on the trip.
 
On my second Camino with the lower socks and shoes, I had much less of it. then one day I decided to wear a crew height pair of socks and it hit with a vengeance. It took days to go away and looked horrible.

Guess will just have to live with it...

Rambler
Hi Rambler do you find low socks stay put? I just bought the lightest socks I could but I'm reluctant to try low socks incase they slide down or rub. Mine are the Bridgedale ankle socks and their thinnest ones, I had thicker ones last time. I'm hoping the thinner ones rolled down will do the trick. Let's face it, we don't normally walk that much so it's bound to have some impact if you're over 50! I wouldn't use liners as its adding more heat. My socks don't move & I put Vicks on my feet which is a tip I got from Spanish pilgrims! Reduces getting blisters. Any tips on low socks which work? Thanks. :)
This forum is amazing! I experienced this myself for the first time on Saturday, and today I log on and this thread has surfaced! Very interesting - I had assumed it was some type of heat rash but it's kind of reassuring (I guess) to hear it is so common (a bit of Googling finds lengthy discussions on other hiking-related sites). In my case, I wore trail runners with Thorlo hiking socks and women's opaque 'knee highs' ('pop-socks' to some) as liners, both folded down as far as possible but with the result I had a thick band of sock around my ankle, the inner layer not very breathable. I had no problems with this combo last time I used it - but that was in the winter. The redness was there yesterday on both ankles when I took off the socks - after my first long walk (15km) in my programme of building back up to fitness after surgery - Anniesantiago's comment about legs not being used to walking would be correct there, as it's about 4 months since I last did a walk of that length, although I've been building up and walking around 10km. It was also very hot (summer here) - despite an early start it was nearing 30C by the later part of the walk (late morning), and humidity quite high. I thought it may have been the liners causing heat to build up, but it sounds as though it's more complicated than that. Next time I'll try without them, or else use them but fold the socks down differently so as not to get such a thick band round my ankles.
 
If you do enough hiking in preparation, you should have the answer. The exception might be if you don't have any hot weather for your training hikes, and you are going during a hot time of the year.

I've had no problem causing the rash in a day hike. I was able to figure out the boot/sock combinations which caused it and used something different on the trip.
Gets pretty hot on the other side of the Cascades so shouldn't have a problem trying out my training gear this Summer. Not sure how I could replace the compression sleeves or knee brace though. Surely someone on this forum has worn elastic knee braces on the Camino. Are there specific brands that work better as far as preventing hiker's rash?
 
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Gets pretty hot on the other side of the Cascades so shouldn't have a problem trying out my training gear this Summer. Not sure how I could replace the compression sleeves or knee brace though. Surely someone on this forum has worn elastic knee braces on the Camino. Are there specific brands that work better as far as preventing hiker's rash?

I wore your standard beige elastic knee bands with the stiffeners on the side for the first half to Burgos, I wore them under loose long pants and got mild heat rash, they key is after you are finished walking for the day, take a shower and let your skin "air out" for the rest of the afternoon and add moisturizer later in the evening.
I experienced heat rash on an epic scale when I used to stand watch on a ship close to the equator where you have two temps, hot and even hotter, plus the extreme temps of the engine room made it even more miserable, the doc onboard prescribed drinking lots of water and "air out your skin".
 
I wore your standard beige elastic knee bands with the stiffeners on the side for the first half to Burgos, I wore them under loose long pants and got mild heat rash, they key is after you are finished walking for the day, take a shower and let your skin "air out" for the rest of the afternoon and add moisturizer later in the evening.
I experienced heat rash on an epic scale when I used to stand watch on a ship close to the equator where you have two temps, hot and even hotter, plus the extreme temps of the engine room made it even more miserable, the doc onboard prescribed drinking lots of water and "air out your skin".
Sounds reasonable. I usually take the brace off after hiking anyway -- can't stand to have it on any longer than necessary! Thanks.
 
Gets pretty hot on the other side of the Cascades so shouldn't have a problem trying out my training gear ?

ah now i see you are from Eugene!

The photo I posted of the nasty rash was accomplished in one four hour hike at Smith Rocks State Park, with thick wool socks and high top boots laced real tightly.
 
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Rambler, you don't need cortisone.
It's not a rash that cortisone will help.
It is caused by tiny vessels breaking because your legs are not used to walking 6 hours each day carrying a pack.
If you just leave it alone, it goes away on its own.
What about compression socks?
 
What about compression socks?

A friend of mine just turned me on to compression socks after I returned from Santiago in June.
I haven't tried them yet, but they may work.
Have you tried them?

I did wear them around the house after my ankle began acting up and they seemed to help, but I'm not sure if they'd work for this vascular problem.
It does seem logical though?
 
A friend of mine just turned me on to compression socks after I returned from Santiago in June.
I haven't tried them yet, but they may work.
Have you tried them?

I did wear them around the house after my ankle began acting up and they seemed to help, but I'm not sure if they'd work for this vascular problem.
It does seem logical though?
Podiatrist and MD say I should wear them all the time. I wear 40mg ones in summer - a pain to put on. But they suggest that if I consistently wear a lighter weight, 20mg, I won't need the 40mg. In drug stores, and fitness stores, you can get 15mg without an Rx.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Wow. Weird how this thread is going. I wear compression SLEEVES to prevent shin splints. My question was whether they would exacerbate vasculitis due to overheating. Compression SOCKS/HOSE are used to facilitate vascular return (to the heart), although I suppose they could help shin splints too. Now I'm wondering, as are others on this thread, whether wearing compression sleeves or hose could actually prevent vasculitis. Wouldn't that be great!
 
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It's really easy to buy really good socks and just cut off the tops. They won't unravel through a Camino, believe it or not. I found no liners and thick socks cut off got rid of the vasculitis. Also, if it's really bad, take a day off with your legs elevated, massage them, etc. It will go away, but was such a conversation starter for me that I sort of missed it when it was gone. Suzanne
 
Hi Rambler do you find low socks stay put? I just bought the lightest socks I could but I'm reluctant to try low socks incase they slide down or rub. Mine are the Bridgedale ankle socks and their thinnest ones, I had thicker ones last time. I'm hoping the thinner ones rolled down will do the trick. Let's face it, we don't normally walk that much so it's bound to have some impact if you're over 50! I wouldn't use liners as its adding more heat. My socks don't move & I put Vicks on my feet which is a tip I got from Spanish pilgrims! Reduces getting blisters. Any tips on low socks which work? Thanks. :)
Don't be afraid to just cut off good thick hiking socks. That solved it for me. I agree with no liners for those of us with vasculitis... adds another area of pressure/friction against skin/heat which we don't need. I settled for thick socks cut off.... ahhhhhhhh
 
Don't be afraid to just cut off good thick hiking socks. That solved it for me. I agree with no liners for those of us with vasculitis... adds another area of pressure/friction against skin/heat which we don't need. I settled for thick socks cut off.... ahhhhhhhh
Also, they do stay put. Buy the socks on the small side so they don't stretch out too much after being cut off.
 
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That's interesting Suzanne! What happens if you wash these chopped off socks day after day? I just can't imagine how they don't fall apart? What socks are these? Of course if they don't unravel there's less to wash but still let us know! ;)
 
That's interesting Suzanne! What happens if you wash these chopped off socks day after day? I just can't imagine how they don't fall apart? What socks are these? Of course if they don't unravel there's less to wash but still let us know! ;)
I had a variety of socks.... REI, and some I bought in Spain.. Any higher quality sock made today won't unravel. Thank god I carried little sharp scissors with me to do "the operation." NONE of them unraveled. Just cut the cuff off an inch or so from where the sock part starts. Avoid hot feet and any kind of friction. Take off those shoes at least once a day during hiking. The cut off socks cured my vasculitis after my legs and feet got used to walking. Also, rest. Vasculitis does show stress in the body, even though it doesn't itch or hurt, so remember... rest if you can with feet elevated, give those legs and feet hot and cold water and a massage. A nurse I met on the trail said that as we age, the smaller blood vessels under the skin just can't handle as much bloodflow and gravity pressure as they could before. Just plain age plays a role. Do an experiment at home by cutting off a pair of better hiking socks and you will see . I washed socks daily, gently. My RX was one pair of good fitting, cut off socks, and rest and masssage.
 
I had a variety of socks.... REI, and some I bought in Spain.. Any higher quality sock made today won't unravel. Thank god I carried little sharp scissors with me to do "the operation." NONE of them unraveled. Just cut the cuff off an inch or so from where the sock part starts. Avoid hot feet and any kind of friction. Take off those shoes at least once a day during hiking. The cut off socks cured my vasculitis after my legs and feet got used to walking. Also, rest. Vasculitis does show stress in the body, even though it doesn't itch or hurt, so remember... rest if you can with feet elevated, give those legs and feet hot and cold water and a massage. A nurse I met on the trail said that as we age, the smaller blood vessels under the skin just can't handle as much bloodflow and gravity pressure as they could before. Just plain age plays a role. Do an experiment at home by cutting off a pair of better hiking socks and you will see . I washed socks daily, gently. My RX was one pair of good fitting, cut off socks, and rest and masssage.
Avoid anything that causes surface friction, like really rough socks or an extra pair of socks, and anything that squeezes, like the elastic cuffs.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Avoid anything that causes surface friction, like really rough socks or an extra pair of socks, and anything that squeezes, like the elastic cuffs.
Hi Suzanne, thanks for your tips! I'll
I had a variety of socks.... REI, and some I bought in Spain.. Any higher quality sock made today won't unravel. Thank god I carried little sharp scissors with me to do "the operation." NONE of them unraveled. Just cut the cuff off an inch or so from where the sock part starts. Avoid hot feet and any kind of friction. Take off those shoes at least once a day during hiking. The cut off socks cured my vasculitis after my legs and feet got used to walking. Also, rest. Vasculitis does show stress in the body, even though it doesn't itch or hurt, so remember... rest if you can with feet elevated, give those legs and feet hot and cold water and a massage. A nurse I met on the trail said that as we age, the smaller blood vessels under the skin just can't handle as much bloodflow and gravity pressure as they could before. Just plain age plays a role. Do an experiment at home by cutting off a pair of better hiking socks and you will see . I washed socks daily, gently. My RX was one pair of good fitting, cut off socks, and rest and masssage.
thanks for all the tips Suzanne. I'm going with lighter socks in June this year so hopefully it won't be as bad. :)
 
I developed 'Golfers vasculitis' today for the first time. I have walked thousands of km in the hot sun and have never had it before! I wore the same socks I always wear on our long (19km) training walks and have never had it before. It looks awful! Could it be an age thing?
 

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I developed 'Golfers vasculitis' today for the first time. I have walked thousands of km in the hot sun and have never had it before! I wore the same socks I always wear on our long (19km) training walks and have never had it before. It looks awful! Could it be an age thing?

Hi sillydoll, whereabouts were you walking? On my Mozambique Beach Hikes there is invariably one client who gets it, having never experienced it before. We put it down to a combination of sand, sea, heat and walking, although we only ever walk in winter, and only on hard sand. The person could be old, young, fat, thin, male or female, it made no difference! They all said it didn’t hurt, just irritated, and it lasted for only a few days. Jill
 
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Oh good I'm not the only one to develop a rash on my ankles while walking the Camino. I developed it on the English and Portuguese Caminos. High top trekkers and long wool socks and short trekkers with short wool socks. Ankles swell up and rash is above the socks. Only happens when I'm walking the Caminos but then that's the only time I walk long distance day in and day out. No pain just swelling that I can feel. I'll try the Hc cream. Usually tinture of time fixes it. Buen Camino

Happy trails
 
Because I walk for a living as a tour guide, I get this rash all of the time in the summer, but almost exclusively on my left leg. Very, very seldom on my right leg. Most of the year I tend to wear knee socks, of a synthetic blend and don't get the rash when I wear them. It is only when I wear short socks that it occurs. My shoes are various types of sturdy sneakers, usually Shape-ups. So, even when it gets hot I try not to wear short socks. The material doesn't seem to make a difference, it is the height of the sock that causes it for me. A bit frustrating when it is 35° and I have to wear knee socks. Sometimes, I just give in and wear short, crew socks or ankle socks, but the rash will appear then.

Getting ready for my Camino, wearing my hiking boots the past month every day, the rash keeps reappearing as I am having problems finding thick socks that are also knee socks. Yesterday, wore my regular, thin knee socks with a pair of short, thick wool socks. (a pair I am bringing along) Worked perfect! My feet felt great and the rash which appeared again earlier this week looks so much better.

A friend is bringing me 2 pair of liners to wear, so hopefully that will help, but am now thinking about bringing 2 pair of my usual, thin knee socks.

This rash doesn't hurt or itch, but looks awful. Have horrid varicose veins in the left leg, so that is probably a contributing factor as to why it is usually just the left leg that gets the rash. I do use a cortisone cream on it which seems to help.
 
This is probably a bit late but you should see your doctor to see what is causing it. It may be a heat rash but it could also be Exercise Induced Vasculitis. This is where the amount of exercise and heat with the added restrictions from wearing socks, causes some of the tiny blood vessels to burst. It sounds dramatic but it doesn't hurt, it's just that you get red blotches mainly around the ankle but also in patches anywhere between the ankle and knee. I have had this condition diagnosed by a Consultant. Creams and lotions don't work. I was told to wear flight socks whilst walking. I didn't as its too hot! However I didn't get it as badly on my second 3 week Camino this year by elevating my feet during rest stops and removing socks & shoes. Just don't do this inside a Bar, unless permitted though! :) It has left me with a slightly tanned look around the ankle, which may be permanent but the redness goes away on my return. image.jpg
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
This is probably a bit late but you should see your doctor to see what is causing it. It may be a heat rash but it could also be Exercise Induced Vasculitis. This is where the amount of exercise and heat with the added restrictions from wearing socks, causes some of the tiny blood vessels to burst. It sounds dramatic but it doesn't hurt, it's just that you get red blotches mainly around the ankle but also in patches anywhere between the ankle and knee. View attachment 21255

After three days i went to a pharmacy, cause it only got worse. It felt like my legs were burning and my skin was bursting. They gave me a cream and after a rest day I went on my way again. At the end of the day my calves were almost twice as thick and I couldn't even point my finger at it. I did everything advices here, but had to go to the hospital the next day and have another day without walking. They gave me an injection (as I assumed with cortisone, but I couldn't care less, I just wanted to get rid of the pain). The next day the pain was still there, but much less. So I went on my way again. My legs got better day by day, and I could finish my camino painless.
 

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My husband and I have been doing a lot of hiking trying to get ready for our Camino Frances trip in Sept. 2016 and I've started experiencing what is know as "Hikers Rash". It usually starts after about 5-6 miles with a very red rash around my ankles and up my legs. I've tried many things so far...wearing low socks, drinking a lot of water and trying to keep cool, but it still shows up :( Has anyone else had to deal with this during their pilgrimage??

Thank you for any advice:)
 
Hi there. As GettingThere says, lots of chat about this. A lot of pilgrims get it in the beginning. I get it every single year for about a week. It goes away on its own for me anyway.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
My husband and I have been doing a lot of hiking trying to get ready for our Camino Frances trip in Sept. 2016 and I've started experiencing what is know as "Hikers Rash". It usually starts after about 5-6 miles with a very red rash around my ankles and up my legs. I've tried many things so far...wearing low socks, drinking a lot of water and trying to keep cool, but it still shows up :( Has anyone else had to deal with this during their pilgrimage??

Thank you for any advice:)

I imagine this is also going to be an issue for us on the Camino as, like you, we are experiencing the same rash appear regularly when we are training. Not sure there is too much treatment that helps. Ours is not sore or itchy, it just looks terrible, but fades and goes away after a few days. We have been training in 30 degree celsius heat, so for us it's possibly heat related.
Hopefully, like @Anniesantiago, it will go away after our legs adjust to the walking.
Buen Camino
I read this on an about health website and thought it might help:

It is an irritation of the blood vessels following prolonged exercise in the heat, such as walking for extended periods.
The rash is more common in people over 50. Most walkers can't pinpoint anything new they have used that may be causing a reaction. And since so many walkers have it, they couldn't all have contacted the same irritant. The source is simply heat and age--your leg blood vessels getting irritated from the heat.
The research offers no treatment or prevention recommendations.
It seems to occur in healthy, active people. The researchers suggest it should not be a health concern and recommend not getting allergy testing, etc.
The rash appears on a vast range of walkers and commonly goes away by itself after a few days. Pampering yourself after a good long walk by taking a cool bath, sitting with your feet up, or applying cool wet towels to the rash may help relieve discomfort.



 
Wow. Weird how this thread is going. I wear compression SLEEVES to prevent shin splints. My question was whether they would exacerbate vasculitis due to overheating. Compression SOCKS/HOSE are used to facilitate vascular return (to the heart), although I suppose they could help shin splints too. Now I'm wondering, as are others on this thread, whether wearing compression sleeves or hose could actually prevent vasculitis. Wouldn't that be great!
I've been dealing with this same problem and my vascular doctor advised me to wear my compression hose to control the swelling issue, but unfortunately, it exacerbated the vasculitis really bad from over heating my legs. Now I just take a lot of breaks removing my boots and socks and try to keep my legs as cool as possible and that seems to work the best for me.
 
I've been dealing with this same problem and my vascular doctor advised me to wear my compression hose to control the swelling issue, but unfortunately, it exacerbated the vasculitis really bad from over heating my legs. Now I just take a lot of breaks removing my boots and socks and try to keep my legs as cool as possible and that seems to work the best for me.
The exact same thing happened to me!
After receiving advice to do so, I wore compression stockings last training hike and after 14kms had to stop with terrible pain in my calves and had to hobble the remaining 3kms home.
After removing them, the rash was worse than ever before :(
From now on, I will be following your advice.:):cool:
 
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The exact same thing happened to me!
After receiving advice to do so, I wore compression stockings last training hike and after 14kms had to stop with terrible pain in my calves and had to hobble the remaining 3kms home.
After removing them, the rash was worse than ever before :(
From now on, I will be following your advice.:):cool:
I feel so much better knowing that I'm not the only one dealing with this irritating rash.....but so unfortunate that so many of us deal with it. What month are you planning your hiking the Camino Frances?
 
I feel so much better knowing that I'm not the only one dealing with this irritating rash.....but so unfortunate that so many of us deal with it. What month are you planning your hiking the Camino Frances?
I agree it is comforting to know that we have the support and encouragement of others as we journey into the unknown.
We hope to take our first step from SJPDP on Friday the 22nd April.
Hopefully, I'll be able to give you a post Camino update on the rash before you leave :)
 
I agree it is comforting to know that we have the support and encouragement of others as we journey into the unknown.
We hope to take our first step from SJPDP on Friday the 22nd April.
Hopefully, I'll be able to give you a post Camino update on the rash before you leave :)
I'll be following your post, we don't start out until Sept. 1st:) We wish you safe & exciting travels....Buen Camino
 
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I've been dealing with this same problem and my vascular doctor advised me to wear my compression hose to control the swelling issue, but unfortunately, it exacerbated the vasculitis really bad from over heating my legs. Now I just take a lot of breaks removing my boots and socks and try to keep my legs as cool as possible and that seems to work the best for me.
The exact same thing happened to me! After receiving advice to do so, I wore compression stockings last training hike and after 14kms had to stop with terrible pain in my calves and had to hobble the remaining 3kms home. After removing them, the rash was worse than ever before :(
From now on, I will be following your advice.:):cool:
Me too! I got some expensive runners' compression socks and wore them out for a training walk. I was thinking "these feel OK" and they stayed perfectly in position for 20 km without having to adjust them at all. When I peeled them off at home, instead of some red blotches scattered about my calves, I was solid red from foot to knee! It was all gone 3 days later.

I started wearing short socks because often (but not always) the rash starts just above the sock level. I walked the camino in Oct-Nov and had no rash at all, but it might show up again in warmer weather.

However, no compression socks for me!
 
I get this, too. Very common with hikers. I have found that rolling or folding my socks down works fine for me. Thanks for giving it a name :)
That was my solution too! Sometimes added a small amount of hydrocortisone cream when it was a bit itchy. Not a serious complaint!
 
Lymphatic Drainage is a specific, light massage to bring the lymph back towards the heart. Excess lymph and fluid can collect in many areas of our bodies due to many reasons, and it's what you notice as swollen ankles. Even if not visible, due to the extreme day after day walking of the Camino, there'll be some lymph around the ankles. However any massage of the feet and lower legs at the end of the day's walking will assist. ...and feel good.
I wear Icebreaker liners. They are wool. But thin and not too far up leg. I also tie laces for good circulation but firm where needed to prevent movement or rubbing.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I suffered from this at home and on my first Camino. I wore liner socks and wool socks which I rolled down as low as possible. This time I am wearing Injinji liners and cool-max low cut socks. I do roll down the liners because they don't make lower cut ones. No more wool for me. They are way to hot for my feet.
 
I suffered from this at home and on my first Camino. I wore liner socks and wool socks which I rolled down as low as possible. This time I am wearing Injinji liners and cool-max low cut socks. I do roll down the liners because they don't make lower cut ones. No more wool for me. They are way to hot for my feet.


Wow... very late to this string of comments but oh, so glad I looked. Since I have this problem all the time hiking and especially now with extra training (leaving for Madrid and onward May 31st, 2017), I thought I would give the forum a try. At least I know I'm not alone :oops: I still have a little time before I leave to try new socks and am thinking about non-wool lower cut ones. I scrunch my hiking socks anyway because I don't like them clear up my leg, so I'm off to REI again to try a new style. Oh, and it did happen even wearing silk liner socks, so not sure lower ones will help. Willing to try anything short of going sockless. Love this forum.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
We may be talking about two different things here. One is a contact dermatitis and the other could be the small capillaries issue of exercise dermatitis. Dermatitis usually itches or hurts and can be caused from things like not rinsing the soap from your socks or sometimes just sweating in socks that are irritating. This kind of rash responds to rinsing your socks better, changing socks, and/or medication (usually with cortisone or antihistamine in it). The other is more of a personal physical issue of exercise dermatitis probably related to genetics, but it will also respond to a cortisone cream and antihistamines. I got the sock rash version and saw several others who did as well. One young man was sure he had bedbugs and was relieved to find out he only needed to rinse his socks better. I saw him several days later and his rash was much improved.
 
I’m not actually a Camino person but this info needs to be shared with fellows sufferers of golfers vasculitis.

Socks spare you the rash. If you wear ankle socks the rash will start at the ankle. I think it’s because the socks absorb sweat away from the legs. I get far less rash with long socks vs shorts.

Now onto the important bit. Use voltaren emulgel if you can get it. It’s designed to get to muscle through skin application and act as an anti inflammatory. This works like a dream. Use several times over 24 hrs and rash will be gone in 2 days! May even be protective against more rash whilst it is on (just a theory at this point). No steroids or anti histamines or nsaid has ever achieved what emulgel does. It now lives in my bag.

Good luck conquering the beastie!
 
Hi Ivalaine, you are right about one thing, the longer socks but not Voltaren Emulgel, which is an anti inflammatory gel containing Diclofenac. This gel is for muscle or joint injuries and actually says not to use on rashes.
There are two rashes experienced on the Camino or on any intense walk, one is a heat rash which goes away on its own and then there is Golfers Vasculitis which is what I have. The consultant I saw a few years ago said it was tiny capillaries coming to the surface and breaking, which gives the leg and calves a horrid red rash. She said to wear support socks and get the legs elevated. I have brown discolouration on one ankle which is permanent. I have found taking shoes and socks off regularly and elevating the feet lessens the occurrence of this condition. Last year I did the Portuguese Way which had far too many roads up until Porto and a chemist gave me a gel called Thrombocid 15mg which is for varicose veins among other things and it worked despite my consultant telling me there wasn't a cream for this condition. She's correct in that if the capillaries are broken it's too late but if you prevent it happening as soon as you get a rash, it worked for me. However, don't use it without consulting a chemist as your rash could be something else. GV tends to happen more to people over 50 years old, whereas a heat rash happens to anyone. I hope this helps.
 
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I kept getting this on longer hikes (not actually on Camino) but have solved it by using calf compression sleeves. The clue was that I didn't get the rash where my elastic sock-tops were. Doctor was not too helpful and the cortico-steroid prescribed soothed but didn't stop the rash, but the sleeves definitely do. See https://www.hillysocks.com/pulse-compression-sleeve I hope this may help someone - the rash can be a problem if it persists and if it gets infected.
 
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In my case, on a multi day hike it gets worse each day and there is the danger of infection.

It is possible that you had a heat rash and not the type of rash that I get. But everyone is different so each must find a solution to their own symptoms. Did you find a solution?
 
It is possible that you had a heat rash and not the type of rash that I get. But everyone is different so each must find a solution to their own symptoms. Did you find a solution?
My rash normally has the characteristics of mild hiker's vasculitis, but it is more frequent in hot weather and it is certainly possible that heat aggravated my skin that day. It is also true that everyone's skin does react differently, and it is very hard to generalize about rashes. For me, it is only an occasional problem, and not severe (except that day!) so I haven't pursued a solution.
 

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