- Time of past OR future Camino
- Most years since 2012
Well, I did it! I joined the ranks of the walking wounded. However, with over 3 months to go, I hope to be fit for October. A few months ago I was walking with confidence and resolved to walk 50 km/week in 2015. However, I pulled some old heavy hiking boots out of a cupboard and decided to “wear them out” and save my good boots for occasional use and the actual camino. Instead, I wore out some metatarsals in my left foot. The fact that I was walking almost entirely on concrete sidewalks did not help. Of course I didn’t think it was a fracture – it didn’t hurt THAT much. It got somewhat better after a 4 week period of no walking, but enough soreness persisted that I had to admit that embarking on an 800 km walk like that would not be wise.
Finally after 4 months (!) I consulted a podiatrist, who confirmed the fracture. He said that typically an “aircast” or walking cast gives the best protection for the 6-8 week healing period. I thought that seemed both overly dramatic and unnecessary (because wearing crocs around the house has eliminated the pain, and I have stopped all other walking except from the car to the store)! I accepted his alternative suggestion of a “spring plate” in my left shoe. That is a carbon graphite plate that renders the shoe completely stiff. Seriously I don’t think it is necessary either but my track record on self-treatment is not very good.
So - no walking for another month. I have 2 weeks of laziness under my belt already, which I already notice in the waistline! Then in August I hope the pain is gone and I can start training (with more intelligence) for a mid-October camino.
Do any of you have experience of walking after stress fractures in the foot?
Finally after 4 months (!) I consulted a podiatrist, who confirmed the fracture. He said that typically an “aircast” or walking cast gives the best protection for the 6-8 week healing period. I thought that seemed both overly dramatic and unnecessary (because wearing crocs around the house has eliminated the pain, and I have stopped all other walking except from the car to the store)! I accepted his alternative suggestion of a “spring plate” in my left shoe. That is a carbon graphite plate that renders the shoe completely stiff. Seriously I don’t think it is necessary either but my track record on self-treatment is not very good.
So - no walking for another month. I have 2 weeks of laziness under my belt already, which I already notice in the waistline! Then in August I hope the pain is gone and I can start training (with more intelligence) for a mid-October camino.
Do any of you have experience of walking after stress fractures in the foot?