Curious about achievability of Camino at 50, slow walker

[gimpypilgrim]

Hi again - I was thinking about this terrible body-wide tendonitis that you have .. and it just doesn't seem right somehow . I mean, there is no external agent, virus etc, that can attack the body like this so it must be some internal imbalance causing it.
I see that you are intelligent and brave and take prescribed medications but, could I ask, have you tried other methods?

There is no real disease that has 'itis' at the end of it - par ex: Bronchitis merely means something wrong with the lungs, same for tendonitis .. just something wrong, not an actual disease, so 'itis' is an admission of no knowledge rather than a description of the problem - so, with this in mind and knowing that your particular 'itis' is caused by inflammation, body wide inflammation - have you tried other things - diet for instance?

We all know that just a small amount of coffee is terrible for arthritis sufferers (another itis) - remove that for a reduction in symptoms, and we all know that some of us can be allergic to certain foods and/or additives, so ...

The reason I ask is that a woman who suffered terrible psoriasis - that awful disease that can not be cured - recently published a book on her 'home cure' and now has thousands who no longer suffer from it. Psoriasis is a body inflammation reaction - what she did was to look at diet and eventually cut out caffeine, alcohol, dairy, and wheat and her psoriasis completely disappeared.
So I am wondering if you have diet tested yourself at all? Have you tried cutting out wheat and dairy from your diet for a fortnight or three weeks to see if there is a difference?
Have you tried going back to a pre-industrial diet where you eat only fresh organic foods with no additives or pesticides? Or tried the ancient hunter diet of just fat meat and vegetables with no dairy or wheat?

If you have not thought of that yet - why not experiment on yourself? Try various diets, for a few weeks or a month each to see if there is a change, if your body comes naturally back into balance? Just remember, if you do try this, that it has to be 100% no cheating on 'just one little bit' of the forbidden.

I am not trying to be glib or patronising, I offer this idea in friendship and support.

Thanks for the suggestion, and I understand where you're coming from.

As things started getting increasingly worse about 4 or 5 years back, I did see a doctor who was into alternative approaches. The first thing he had me do (without adjusting any medication) was an elimination diet, where I cut out all potential 'trigger' foods. I went through a few months of experimentation and thought that I might be sensitive to gluten, because when I added it back to my diet, tended to get mild headaches. I therefore went gluten-free for a couple of years, but eventually stopped it with no ill effect. I am currently largely vegan but I also occasionally have fish or eggs. Unfortunately, none of the diet experimentation reduced the tendinopathy.

Two doctors explained that the "chronic tendinitis" is actually tendinosis - chronic breakdown of the tendons with no inflammation. Every time tendonitis emerges in a new place, it never heals properly and then becomes chronic. My bloodwork never indicates systemic inflammation, either, and even though I take Rx anti-inflammatories it doesn't seem to tamp anything down. Predictably, any novel repetitive motions, or increase in repetitive activity, such as more typing than usual or more walking than usual, will cause acute symptoms that seems to be real 'tendonitis' in that there is temporary inflammation (visible swelling and redness) that will calm down, generally after a few weeks or more and revert to a chronic, less painful state.

I've seen several specialists because the tendinopathy has affected different body parts, and they all have agreed that it is a problem with the tendons. None has been able to say what's causing it, but autoimmune diseases that are known to affect the tendons like this have been suspected but never confirmed. Some have chalked it up to bad luck and others to the aging process. I've come to accept that medicine has its limits -- if you look at it another way, if you lose a foot, a doctor or a change in diet can't regrow it.

 

[Klogwog]

Hello,

I've been contemplating a short (100km) camino for a little while, and I've read some forum posts, watched videos, and read some guide books. I've been thinking that I probably won't be able to pull it off at my age -- 50 -- but I've been amazed at the number of folks that are decades older than I am that are able to make it work!

I would be doing this as a religious pilgrimage.

Based on my maximum achievable daily step count of about 8,000 steps, I could walk about 6 km per day, which would take about 17 days to do 100km. (Not including any necessary days off.) I'm concerned that 6 km would not be enough to make it to the next albergue each day.

Although I enjoyed hiking and walking long distances when I was younger, today I'm a slow, deliberate walker due to pain. When I take a short walk (through a grocery store or shopping mall, for example), my feet start to ache deeply (and it lasts for days), and I experience much heel, knee and hip pain on both sides during and after walking. The pain has come on slowly over the years, mostly after knee surgeries, and my doctors said that it's osteoarthritis and tendonitis due to aging, and that beyond anti-inflammatories there is not a lot that can be done about it. (I've tried physical therapy but it hasn't helped.) So, when I see folks in their 60s, 70s or 80s walking several hundred km I'm amazed that they are able to do it!

Does anyone have any advice or perspective on this? Has anyone 50+ started a camino in a lot of pain from arthritis and tendonitis and then it lessened on the camino and became doable?

Thanks!

J.W.

Hey JW I shall be over 70 next year and I am going to do the Lisbon to Santiago pilgrimage ,friend just go and do it ,there are angels watching you ,please take the jump

 

[barb77]

Hello,
Great advice each reply. I did not see it mentioned but along with the poles a very light daypack with only the essentials for the day inside. Transport your backpack (or duffle or suitcase even!). The companies I dealt with are reliable and it is a treat to see your other necessities waiting for you at the end of the day.

I've been contemplating a short (100km) camino for a little while, and I've read some forum posts, watched videos, and read some guide books. I've been thinking that I probably won't be able to pull it off at my age -- 50 -- but I've been amazed at the number of folks that are decades older than I am that are able to make it work!

I would be doing this as a religious pilgrimage.

Based on my maximum achievable daily step count of about 8,000 steps, I could walk about 6 km per day, which would take about 17 days to do 100km. (Not including any necessary days off.) I'm concerned that 6 km would not be enough to make it to the next albergue each day.

Although I enjoyed hiking and walking long distances when I was younger, today I'm a slow, deliberate walker due to pain. When I take a short walk (through a grocery store or shopping mall, for example), my feet start to ache deeply (and it lasts for days), and I experience much heel, knee and hip pain on both sides during and after walking. The pain has come on slowly over the years, mostly after knee surgeries, and my doctors said that it's osteoarthritis and tendonitis due to aging, and that beyond anti-inflammatories there is not a lot that can be done about it. (I've tried physical therapy but it hasn't helped.) So, when I see folks in their 60s, 70s or 80s walking several hundred km I'm amazed that they are able to do it!

Does anyone have any advice or perspective on this? Has anyone 50+ started a camino in a lot of pain from arthritis and tendonitis and then it lessened on the camino and became doable?

Thanks!

J.W.

 

[ShelleyS]

Hello,

I've been contemplating a short (100km) camino for a little while, and I've read some forum posts, watched videos, and read some guide books. I've been thinking that I probably won't be able to pull it off at my age -- 50 -- but I've been amazed at the number of folks that are decades older than I am that are able to make it work!

I would be doing this as a religious pilgrimage.

Based on my maximum achievable daily step count of about 8,000 steps, I could walk about 6 km per day, which would take about 17 days to do 100km. (Not including any necessary days off.) I'm concerned that 6 km would not be enough to make it to the next albergue each day.

Although I enjoyed hiking and walking long distances when I was younger, today I'm a slow, deliberate walker due to pain. When I take a short walk (through a grocery store or shopping mall, for example), my feet start to ache deeply (and it lasts for days), and I experience much heel, knee and hip pain on both sides during and after walking. The pain has come on slowly over the years, mostly after knee surgeries, and my doctors said that it's osteoarthritis and tendonitis due to aging, and that beyond anti-inflammatories there is not a lot that can be done about it. (I've tried physical therapy but it hasn't helped.) So, when I see folks in their 60s, 70s or 80s walking several hundred km I'm amazed that they are able to do it!

Does anyone have any advice or perspective on this? Has anyone 50+ started a camino in a lot of pain from arthritis and tendonitis and then it lessened on the camino and became doable?

Thanks!

J.W.

 

[ShelleyS]

I just finished walking the camino from SJPDP to Santiago. I was on the camino for one month and did skip ahead via buses at times to make it into Santiago one month later so that I could meet up with my sister in France for a week before returning home. If I were to do it again, which I might, I would allow myself more time. I thought that I would be able to walk more than I did. I have a chronic ankle/foot problem that causes a lot of pain at times as it did early on during my camino. That said, I got into a rhythm after walking anywhere from 4 to 20 plus km per day, depending on what my body was telling me to do and what the terrain was like that day. In addition to my left foot problem, I got blisters on my right toes and the osteoarthritis in my right knee flared.
One of the things that I learned was to be flexible. It turned out that taking the bus at times was just what I needed. Spain has an excellent bus system. In the beginning, I didn't necessarily like taking the bus at times, but I did learn to accept what I called the "pilgrim bus" and had some great experiences doing so.

I also learned to take frequent breaks while walking, took my hiking shoes off, changed socks, massaged my feet, etc and that helped tremendously. Fellow walkers would stop and ask me how I was doing and offered to help or just give moral support. It is the camino way. I loved the community spirit of the camino. I did the same for others and found the experience of giving and taking to help my spirit and mind, not to mention improved my general well being.

I am a big believer in physical therapy and although it sounds like it hasn't been that helpful to you with regards to pain, I think the right person can be helpful as a coach AND therapist. They can also help with strengthening and balance exercises, both of which can be very helpful when preparing for long distance walking.

I wish you the very best with your planning for the camino and ultimately your pilgrimage. Enjoy!

 

[gimpypilgrim]

I just finished walking the camino from SJPDP to Santiago. I was on the camino for one month and did skip ahead via buses at times to make it into Santiago one month later so that I could meet up with my sister in France for a week before returning home. If I were to do it again, which I might, I would allow myself more time. I thought that I would be able to walk more than I did. I have a chronic ankle/foot problem that causes a lot of pain at times as it did early on during my camino. That said, I got into a rhythm after walking anywhere from 4 to 20 plus km per day, depending on what my body was telling me to do and what the terrain was like that day. In addition to my left foot problem, I got blisters on my right toes and the osteoarthritis in my right knee flared.
One of the things that I learned was to be flexible. It turned out that taking the bus at times was just what I needed. Spain has an excellent bus system. In the beginning, I didn't necessarily like taking the bus at times, but I did learn to accept what I called the "pilgrim bus" and had some great experiences doing so.

I also learned to take frequent breaks while walking, took my hiking shoes off, changed socks, massaged my feet, etc and that helped tremendously. Fellow walkers would stop and ask me how I was doing and offered to help or just give moral support. It is the camino way. I loved the community spirit of the camino. I did the same for others and found the experience of giving and taking to help my spirit and mind, not to mention improved my general well being.

I am a big believer in physical therapy and although it sounds like it hasn't been that helpful to you with regards to pain, I think the right person can be helpful as a coach AND therapist. They can also help with strengthening and balance exercises, both of which can be very helpful when preparing for long distance walking.

I wish you the very best with your planning for the camino and ultimately your pilgrimage. Enjoy!

Thanks for letting me know your experiences. I think I'm settling in to a good picture of what I'll need to do, a relying on taxis and other transportation will be key. I'll definitely have to train at home to meet my 6 km per day goal. It's not doable right now, but it's a target I can set based on past performance.

I wish I could be more positive about PT. My past experiences have made me leery of it. Over the last 15 years, I've been prescribed PT about 12 times, mostly for my feet and legs, and I've gone to about 10. I was discharged twice because I was getting worse with treatment. About 3 or 4 times, new problems arose as a result of the exercises, including plantar fasciitis and retrocalcaneal bursitis/Haglund's. The latter nearly led to surgery. The remaining times the PT had little to no effect. The PTs I've seen have ranged from excellent to middling, but the knowledge and skills of the PTs didn't seem to effect the outcomes.

 

[ShelleyS]

Thanks for letting me know your experiences. I think I'm settling in to a good picture of what I'll need to do, a relying on taxis and other transportation will be key. I'll definitely have to train at home to meet my 6 km per day goal. It's not doable right now, but it's a target I can set based on past performance.

I wish I could be more positive about PT. My past experiences have made me leery of it. Over the last 15 years, I've been prescribed PT about 12 times, mostly for my feet and legs, and I've gone to about 10. I was discharged twice because I was getting worse with treatment. About 3 or 4 times, new problems arose as a result of the exercises, including plantar fasciitis and retrocalcaneal bursitis/Haglund's. The latter nearly led to surgery. The remaining times the PT had little to no effect. The PTs I've seen have ranged from excellent to middling, but the knowledge and skills of the PTs didn't seem to effect the outcomes.[/QUOTE

Sure sounds like you have thoroughly checked out the physical therapy options. It seems that your careful planning will see you through. The camino comes with so many wonderful surprises and support that you can tap into. It is also physically demanding and there are aspects of it that, I believe, call for flexibility and knowing that you can change plans or use some other resource as needed. It is a wonderful experience and one that will forever be present in my heart.

 

[Catahoula19]

Yes. And the OP has explained that he has difficulty and pain when walking doing ordinary daily activities. Very different situation from usual.

You're never far from a town, a road, a phone, a taxi.

 

[gimpypilgrim]

You're never far from a town, a road, a phone, a taxi.

Thanks. I'll need to brush up on my Castilian, unless the taxi drivers speak English. I learned Spanish living in Honduras for a while decades ago and can generally speak it better than I can understand it.

 

[gimpypilgrim]

Hi Gimpy! Great honest and open post and marvellous informative supporting answers - I really like this thread.

To me age doesn't come into it - I have seen many 'fit and young' pilgrims who have over-used their bodies and come to grief - it really is a Hare and Tortoise thing. regardless of your frailties and pains to me it is about attitude. As a religious pilgrim you already have that in spades!!

As a pilgrim with 'problems' the need is to be where you are each moment - don't look ahead and force yourself to get 'there' - just walk, stop, rest, look at the view, siesta, walk again .... be easy.

A couple of things - you may want to practise on staircases as the Camino is not all level and that is the surprise that the body comes up against - going up and going down.

your footwear - only my personal opinion but i would be wary of buying new footwear ... you may do much better by taking your most comfortable and supportive shoes. I walk in Keen Newport sandals and have never had a problem - so be careful about setting out in new boots or shoes!!

A word about Ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatories. They are brilliant as they block the chemicals that produce inflammation and are also pain killers. What one has to be careful of here is that they can therefore mask a serious injury until it is too late - so 'body watch' is topmost - but you do that already I think.

Can you do it? That depends upon you - you know your problems intimately ... but, if you are walking around whilst living at home, well, why can't you walk on Camino? so I would say go for it!!

Just ensure that your return flight is set to allow you many days off and possible recovery days, then there won't be time constraints - Buen Camino!!

I was rereading several posts here and one thing caught my eye with your recommendation for stair climbing. A couple of months ago I experienced some kind of additional trauma to the knees going up and down my basement stairs a few times in a row, and since then I've been unable to climb or descend stairs without knifelike pain under the kneecap and much aching for several days afterwards (patellofemoral pain syndrome) . I can do inclines as long as I can zigzag across the width of a path or a street, and I can navigate a few stairs here are there by going down them sideways or backwards, one foot at a time. Are there lots of stairs along the camino, or are they relatively uncommon?

 

[gimpypilgrim]

As a doctor, my first thought is about whether you have consulted a consultant rheumatologist? If not, I'd suggest you have a look at this UK web-site for starters: https://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/
You're far too young to accept that "there is not a lot that can be done about it" !!! You need expert advice.

I agree. You should try to find a medical provider who supports your goal and can help you address your health issues to allow you to make this dream come true. I don't know if cortisone shots help, if shoe orthotics would help, etc. Have your bags carried ahead by JacoTrans and reserve rooms ahead. Walk as far as you can and then, if you can't walk the whole way, taxi the rest. You will have a wonderful time. Best of luck and keep us informed about your progress!
Jill
age 63

Thanks. I've had many cortisone and synvisc injections in the knees, and I've got Rx orthotics and have spent a boatload of cash on shoes and physical therapy, and it hasn't helped. I've seen many specialists, including 4 rheumatologists, but they've got no answers or solutions for me other than what has already been tried. I can take matters in my own hands and just push ahead and see how I fare. Many pilgrims have sought healing on the Camino so perhaps I will too!

 

[gimpypilgrim]

This forum is a great place to get encouragement, and I've enjoyed reading everyones' posts. Many of us are older and have struggled with the physical challenges of the Camino, but we managed it and were blessed by it and can't resist cheering other pilgrims on.

As I think about your limitations, 'gimpypilgrim' (your sense of humour obviously isn't limited!), I would really advise caution. Even those who begin quite fit and in good health can get horrible blisters, tendonitis, etc. and suffer the disappointment of having to go home in pain and sorrow. To BEGIN the pilgrimage with pain and your known distance limitations seems to me really risky.

I would agree that doing a sustained walk close to home -- and you could do this in a pilgrim spirit -- would be a wise move. I am preparing for my third Camino after having chemotherapy, and to test my fitness I walked the Oxford Greenbelt Circular Path (50 miles) in four consecutive days, trying to simulate Camino conditions by carrying a bit of weight, walking rain or shine, etc. It was a useful exercise. I would suggest you do something similar and then talk to your doctor about how you feel and see if this is for you.

I resonate with your motivation and desire, but there may be other ways for you to embark on a spiritual pilgrimage that are more in keeping with your physical abilities.

Thanks. This isn't my first pilgrimage. I've made a major one to Jerusalem and a few minor ones to more local destinations. I've gotten a lot out of them. I can imagine many medeival pilgrims being sent on the Camino by their confessors, and some of them were blind, crippled etc. For me it's doing this particular pilgrimage - I've grown tired of my limitations and wish to go despite the problems. If I don't make it, I can always drive around Spain and see the sights!

 

[Domnall]

Hello,

I've been contemplating a short (100km) camino for a little while, and I've read some forum posts, watched videos, and read some guide books. I've been thinking that I probably won't be able to pull it off at my age -- 50 -- but I've been amazed at the number of folks that are decades older than I am that are able to make it work!

I would be doing this as a religious pilgrimage.

Based on my maximum achievable daily step count of about 8,000 steps, I could walk about 6 km per day, which would take about 17 days to do 100km. (Not including any necessary days off.) I'm concerned that 6 km would not be enough to make it to the next albergue each day.

Although I enjoyed hiking and walking long distances when I was younger, today I'm a slow, deliberate walker due to pain. When I take a short walk (through a grocery store or shopping mall, for example), my feet start to ache deeply (and it lasts for days), and I experience much heel, knee and hip pain on both sides during and after walking. The pain has come on slowly over the years, mostly after knee surgeries, and my doctors said that it's osteoarthritis and tendonitis due to aging, and that beyond anti-inflammatories there is not a lot that can be done about it. (I've tried physical therapy but it hasn't helped.) So, when I see folks in their 60s, 70s or 80s walking several hundred km I'm amazed that they are able to do it!

Does anyone have any advice or perspective on this? Has anyone 50+ started a camino in a lot of pain from arthritis and tendonitis and then it lessened on the camino and became doable?

Thanks!

J.W.

I walked my first Camino aged 70 in 2010 and I’m still walking Caminos, at least one every year. I suffer from Arthritis in my neck and wrists. On my first Camino I suffered a Hernieated disc and had to be repatriated home for an operation on my back but returned to where I was forced to stop and continued and finished my Camino.
Observing that you have a lot of pain I would suggest that you should do some research on the best footwear for you as incorrect footwear can cause some of the pain that you describe.
I then suggest that you very slowly build up the time that you can comfortably walk. I’ve done this by walking 30 minutes per day 3 times a week. Then walking 30 minutes 5 times a week. When you can do this do it twice a day for 3 days a week unti you are walking twice a day for 5 days a week.
Don’t worry about how slowly you do it. As you get fitter you will naturally speed up .
Then when you have reached this point in your training you can increase your 30 minute walking to 45 minutes and so on.
I find that at home (in Ireland) my Arthritis can be painful and I’m very stiff but when I get walking on my Caminos , for mr personally, I have no pain and I get very flexible. Unless I overdo it. If I do I’m in trouble and have to get to a physiotherapist to sort me out.( This has happened about 3 times since 2010) and about 7000 miles of walking.
I hope this will help you to come to a decision.

 

[gimpypilgrim]

I walked my first Camino aged 70 in 2010 and I’m still walking Caminos, at least one every year. I suffer from Arthritis in my neck and wrists. On my first Camino I suffered a Hernieated disc and had to be repatriated home for an operation on my back but returned to where I was forced to stop and continued and finished my Camino.
Observing that you have a lot of pain I would suggest that you should do some research on the best footwear for you as incorrect footwear can cause some of the pain that you describe.
I then suggest that you very slowly build up the time that you can comfortably walk. I’ve done this by walking 30 minutes per day 3 times a week. Then walking 30 minutes 5 times a week. When you can do this do it twice a day for 3 days a week unti you are walking twice a day for 5 days a week.
Don’t worry about how slowly you do it. As you get fitter you will naturally speed up .
Then when you have reached this point in your training you can increase your 30 minute walking to 45 minutes and so on.
I find that at home (in Ireland) my Arthritis can be painful and I’m very stiff but when I get walking on my Caminos , for mr personally, I have no pain and I get very flexible. Unless I overdo it. If I do I’m in trouble and have to get to a physiotherapist to sort me out.( This has happened about 3 times since 2010) and about 7000 miles of walking.
I hope this will help you to come to a decision.

Thanks for your perspective on this. About the footwear, I've spent hours and several trips back to the same store for my second to last pair, fitted by folks who were highly recommended at the best walking/running shoe store in my city. I couldn't even build up to 5 min walks with those without causing problems, so I tried other pairs and none were better. My recentmost pair, which I've only worn 2-3 times, I went through 2 hours of careful fitting with a certified pedorthist, and on my third day of breaking them in, I developed retrocalcaneal bursitis (inflammation of the bursa where the achilles tendon inserts. It is exquisitely painful) and had to stop wearing those immediately. It's caused by the bursa rubbing against the heel counter of the shoe. This happened to me once before on the other foot with another pair of shoes.

I follow all of the advice from doctors - the right shoe, Rx orthotics, etc. - and have spent tons of money, and none of it has kept my tendons, bursae, and joints from flaring up as I try to slowly increase my activity levels. My muscles are stiff body wide and no amount of stretching counteracts it, and activity makes the stiffness worse. I've recently tried again to slowly build up to 5-10 min of continuous walking per day and I just can't get there before I unknowingly 'overdo it' and I have to stop walking for a few weeks to let it calm down. I'm having trouble walking 3,000 steps per day (throughout the day) and most days I'm well under 2000. The typical response to exercise that I would've had when younger, of getting stronger, for some reason is gone, and my doctors say that the decline is just age related or that I'm unlucky. I've decided to shelve this idea of this particular pilgrimage, and I'm going to see if there is something else better suited to my abilities.

 

[martin1ws]

... It's caused by the bursa rubbing against the heel counter of the shoe...

If rubbing is a problem with your current shoes as well, maybe this can help:
https://www.blisterprevention.com.au/engo-blister-prevention-patches

 

[HedaP]

Oh I am sorry to hear your news @gimpypilgrim. I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[lthrnck55]

Hello,

I've been contemplating a short (100km) camino for a little while, and I've read some forum posts, watched videos, and read some guide books. I've been thinking that I probably won't be able to pull it off at my age -- 50 -- but I've been amazed at the number of folks that are decades older than I am that are able to make it work!

I would be doing this as a religious pilgrimage.

Based on my maximum achievable daily step count of about 8,000 steps, I could walk about 6 km per day, which would take about 17 days to do 100km. (Not including any necessary days off.) I'm concerned that 6 km would not be enough to make it to the next albergue each day.

Although I enjoyed hiking and walking long distances when I was younger, today I'm a slow, deliberate walker due to pain. When I take a short walk (through a grocery store or shopping mall, for example), my feet start to ache deeply (and it lasts for days), and I experience much heel, knee and hip pain on both sides during and after walking. The pain has come on slowly over the years, mostly after knee surgeries, and my doctors said that it's osteoarthritis and tendonitis due to aging, and that beyond anti-inflammatories there is not a lot that can be done about it. (I've tried physical therapy but it hasn't helped.) So, when I see folks in their 60s, 70s or 80s walking several hundred km I'm amazed that they are able to do it!

Does anyone have any advice or perspective on this? Has anyone 50+ started a camino in a lot of pain from arthritis and tendonitis and then it lessened on the camino and became doable?

Thanks!

J.W.

Hello! I have not read all the replies, so someone may have already mentioned it --- I did The Camino when I was 60 from St. Jean Pied de Port. I spent almost a year and a half preparing. While I don't think I have the challenges you do, I did experience a lot of pain and discomfort prior to my pilgrimage. Following are some of the challenges I had and what seemed to help during my preparation:

1. If you are over weight, every pound you lose takes stress off your joints and muscles when you walk. Talk to your doctor and nutritionist, get involved in a weight loss program and start exercising in some kind of low impact, high cardio way like swimming.

2. Be prepared to spend some money on trying different shoes. What works for some does not work for others. Talk to a podiatrist. Try on lots of different walking/hiking shoes and orthotics. Find the combo that feels and works best for you.

3. Buy and learn to properly use trekking poles. I did see someone mentioned that. Very valuable tool to help keep stress off your joints.

4. On your training walks, try to stay off concrete and asphalt. That's murder on your feet and joints. Walk on natural and uneven surfaces and terrain as much as possible.

5. Pay attention to your core muscles. The senior center in town very likely has a program where folks learn to exercise with those elastic bands and achieve increased strength and flexibility with low impact or stress.

6. Warm up and stretch prior to training and/or walks. So important.

7. Listen to your body while training. If something hurts, stop doing it and do something else or rest.

8. Did I mention lose weight? Increase muscle strength and flexibility. Strong and flexible muscles help take stress off your joints.

9. Get lots of rest. If you exercise hard on one day, take it easy the next to allow healing.

10. Learn how to use ice and heating pads to reduce inflammation and enhance healing. Again talk to your doctor or physical therapist.

Hope this helps. Staying active in later years can be a challenge. It does not come free for many of us. You have to claim it!

 

[Jim McMurtrie]

J.W. , I'm 72 and will be walking the camino in april. While I don't have severe joint problem I will tell you that since I have been training with good trail runners on my feet and trekking poles in my hands my joints feel better than they have in 20 years. I might add that I've also managed to drop 30 pounds, (fat, not Sterling). No doubt in my mind that you will do it. Buen Camino

 

[AlwynWellington]

Hope this helps. Staying active in later years can be a challenge. It does not come free for many of us. You have to claim it!

While I can say a loud repetitive amen to just about all you say, especially on weight loss. However, there are a few items that are not universal.

For example, in your #4 you say "walk on natural and uneven surfaces and terrain as much as possible"

I find uneven surfaces very challenging and avoid them like the plague. In fact I prefer concrete and asphalt for the consistency of surface provided. Subject of course to that way being safe to walk - wide shoulders, good visibility etc.

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)

 

[trecile]

The OP has indicated that he has a painful condition that goes beyond simple aging, being overweight, or out of shape. I'm not sure that telling him that he can do it is helpful. Perhaps there is another way that he can achieve something similar to the Camino within his physical limitations.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

The OP has indicated that she has a painful condition that goes beyond simple aging, being overweight, or out of shape. I'm not sure that telling her that she can do it is helpful. Perhaps there is another way that she can achieve something similar to the Camino within her physical limitations.

I absolutely agree; physical limitations need to be acknowledged and carefully evaluated for compatibility with the physical activity being considered. To ignore such problems and go full steam ahead can not only lead to disappointment, but also far more serious injury. It is wise to counsel with the advice to realistically evaluate what one is capable of doing, and then look for ways to supplement limitations in order to achieve one's goal.

 

[C clearly]

I've decided to shelve this idea of this particular pilgrimage, and I'm going to see if there is something else better suited to my abilities.

I commend you for this decision, which must have been hard, but it seems quite sensible. I am confident that you can find another challenge to pursue, but I'm sorry that we might not get to follow you with it. The Camino de Santiago is not the only camino or pilgrimage of value, nor is walking the only avenue.

 

[nycwalking]

Buen camino. However, that transpires for you.

 

[Camino Jim]

Hello,

I've been contemplating a short (100km) camino for a little while, and I've read some forum posts, watched videos, and read some guide books. I've been thinking that I probably won't be able to pull it off at my age -- 50 -- but I've been amazed at the number of folks that are decades older than I am that are able to make it work!

I would be doing this as a religious pilgrimage.

Based on my maximum achievable daily step count of about 8,000 steps, I could walk about 6 km per day, which would take about 17 days to do 100km. (Not including any necessary days off.) I'm concerned that 6 km would not be enough to make it to the next albergue each day.

Although I enjoyed hiking and walking long distances when I was younger, today I'm a slow, deliberate walker due to pain. When I take a short walk (through a grocery store or shopping mall, for example), my feet start to ache deeply (and it lasts for days), and I experience much heel, knee and hip pain on both sides during and after walking. The pain has come on slowly over the years, mostly after knee surgeries, and my doctors said that it's osteoarthritis and tendonitis due to aging, and that beyond anti-inflammatories there is not a lot that can be done about it. (I've tried physical therapy but it hasn't helped.) So, when I see folks in their 60s, 70s or 80s walking several hundred km I'm amazed that they are able to do it!

Does anyone have any advice or perspective on this? Has anyone 50+ started a camino in a lot of pain from arthritis and tendonitis and then it lessened on the camino and became doable?

Thanks!

J.W.

J.W, I walked my first Camino at 65 and have done a total of 7 since ... 5 in Spain and 2 in Italy ..... granted as we get older we slow down and it takes longer but well worth it I hope to do the La Plata this coming year or 2019 at 70, 71 .... It is well worth the experience Do the Portugese from Porto or the Ingles or Finisterra/Muxia if you are decided on a short one

 

[trecile]

J.W, I walked my first Camino at 65 and have done a total of 7 since ... 5 in Spain and 2 in Italy ..... granted as we get older we slow down and it takes longer but well worth it I hope to do the La Plata this coming year or 2019 at 70, 71 .... It is well worth the experience Do the Portugese from Porto or the Ingles or Finisterra/Muxia if you are decided on a short one

@Camino Jim, have you read the OP's latest posts? He is suffering from a painful condition that keeps him from walking more than a few minutes, let alone a few miles, and has realized that the Camino is not in his future.

 

[Sharonih]

Being a plus 50 with some health conditions because I have had a normal life and am planning for my first Camino in March I have checked with my Dr. for information and help and I need it as well I have spoken to my physio and Kinisiologists for help as far as stretches as I am walking and when I finish for the day.

 

[PilgrimPillar]

I met Ian in 2016.....severe CP and crutches.....Max 10 km a day....max....the most impressive pergrino I've met on CF.....

If we focus on doing our own pace and listen to what our feet and bodie tells us.....?....then the camino awaits us all .....regardless

 

[lthrnck55]

While I can say a loud repetitive amen to just about all you say, especially on weight loss. However, there are a few items that are not universal.

For example, in your #4 you say "walk on natural and uneven surfaces and terrain as much as possible"

I find uneven surfaces very challenging and avoid them like the plague. In fact I prefer concrete and asphalt for the consistency of surface provided. Subject of course to that way being safe to walk - wide shoulders, good visibility etc.

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)

Alwyn - Wow! I had not heard of anyone "preferring" to walk on concrete or asphalt. Especially anyone over 40. But we are all different! Buen Camino!

 

[Albertagirl]

Thanks for your perspective on this. About the footwear, I've spent hours and several trips back to the same store for my second to last pair, fitted by folks who were highly recommended at the best walking/running shoe store in my city. I couldn't even build up to 5 min walks with those without causing problems, so I tried other pairs and none were better. My recentmost pair, which I've only worn 2-3 times, I went through 2 hours of careful fitting with a certified pedorthist, and on my third day of breaking them in, I developed retrocalcaneal bursitis (inflammation of the bursa where the achilles tendon inserts. It is exquisitely painful) and had to stop wearing those immediately. It's caused by the bursa rubbing against the heel counter of the shoe. This happened to me once before on the other foot with another pair of shoes.

I follow all of the advice from doctors - the right shoe, Rx orthotics, etc. - and have spent tons of money, and none of it has kept my tendons, bursae, and joints from flaring up as I try to slowly increase my activity levels. My muscles are stiff body wide and no amount of stretching counteracts it, and activity makes the stiffness worse. I've recently tried again to slowly build up to 5-10 min of continuous walking per day and I just can't get there before I unknowingly 'overdo it' and I have to stop walking for a few weeks to let it calm down. I'm having trouble walking 3,000 steps per day (throughout the day) and most days I'm well under 2000. The typical response to exercise that I would've had when younger, of getting stronger, for some reason is gone, and my doctors say that the decline is just age related or that I'm unlucky. I've decided to shelve this idea of this particular pilgrimage, and I'm going to see if there is something else better suited to my abilities.

@gimpypilgrim
I believe that you have established for yourself, with the help of many experienced walkers, that a walking pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago is not for you. Have you considered a bus tour type pilgrimage? If you feel called to do the camino there is more than one way to do so. How did you do your pilgrimage to Jerusalem? For you that was a meaningful experience and perhaps a group tour with transportation supplied could provide a similar experience. A friend of mine whose age and health precluded a walking pilgrimage did the Camino Frances by bus some years ago and was satisfied by the journey, although he could not and did not walk it. I went on a two week bus tour in Israel at Easter many years ago and was inspired by it. You can certainly make a religious and meaningful pilgrimage to Santiago without a compostela at the end of it, if you are called to such a pilgrimage. Many people do so each year. Think about it.

 

[timr]

While I can say a loud repetitive amen to just about all you say, especially on weight loss. However, there are a few items that are not universal.

For example, in your #4 you say "walk on natural and uneven surfaces and terrain as much as possible"

I find uneven surfaces very challenging and avoid them like the plague. In fact I prefer concrete and asphalt for the consistency of surface provided. Subject of course to that way being safe to walk - wide shoulders, good visibility etc.

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)

Alwyn - Wow! I had not heard of anyone "preferring" to walk on concrete or asphalt. Especially anyone over 40. But we are all different! Buen Camino!

I am going to throw my unconventional hat into the ring and say that I have no fear or anxiety about walking on asphalt or concrete either. I have to say I don't pay an awful lot of heed to what I am walking on. I am a road runner most of the year and then (running) I DO prefer road surfaces to the soft verges.
On the camino, I take what is offered, and don't get too anxious. I cannot say that I have noticed in any way (and I am a (somewhat lapsed) physician) that walking on any particular surface affects me adversely. And I DON'T mind the cobbles in Portugal either! (I said it was an unconventional hat.) Probably what I did find most difficult was the beach sometimes, along the Norte, and some of the paths through very sandy pine forests this year along the Camino de Madrid.

Oh and I am 63 going on 64.

 

[lthrnck55]

I am going to throw my unconventional hat into the ring and say that I have no fear or anxiety about walking on asphalt or concrete either. I have to say I don't pay an awful lot of heed to what I am walking on. I am a road runner most of the year and then (running) I DO prefer road surfaces to the soft verges.
On the camino, I take what is offered, and don't get too anxious. I cannot say that I have noticed in any way (and I am a (somewhat lapsed) physician) that walking on any particular surface affects me adversely. And I DON'T mind the cobbles in Portugal either! (I said it was an unconventional hat.) Probably what I did find most difficult was the beach sometimes, along the Norte, and some of the paths through very sandy pine forests this year along the Camino de Madrid.

Oh and I am 63 going on 64.

My own theory is, walking on concrete or any hard even surface, is detrimental in basically the following way: --- Repetitive impact of your body weight on the same points of your feet, ankles, legs and back. The same muscles are used over and over with little or no variation. This results in greater frequency of fatigue and consequently injury. Uneven surfaces like dirt, gravel, rock, grass, etc., provide a more natural surface that we are evolved to walking on, using our muscles in a variety of ways and typically less impacting resulting in less fatigue and injury.

I am not a physician in any context. I am a former Marine that has spent a lot of time and effort bi-pedaling while carrying extra weight. Give me dirt, grass, gravel and even some rocks over a hard, even and unyielding surface anytime. I am 64. Of course, as I progress to the walker/wheelchair phase of my life, my opinion on hard and even surfaces is likely to change. And, as I said earlier, everyone is different. That's just my view.

 

[Mark McCarthy]

The only stretches on Sarria to Santiago above 6km without accommodation are from Portomarin to Gonzar. This is a tough 7.7km section uphill.
from Arzua to Salceda 11.3km OKish with one 80m climb but you can take a good rest in Calzada
from Amenal to Lavacolla 7.okm with a 125M climb but with an opportunity to rest in San Piao
I hope this helps.

 

[gimpypilgrim]

Hello! I have not read all the replies, so someone may have already mentioned it --- I did The Camino when I was 60 from St. Jean Pied de Port. I spent almost a year and a half preparing. While I don't think I have the challenges you do, I did experience a lot of pain and discomfort prior to my pilgrimage. Following are some of the challenges I had and what seemed to help during my preparation:

1. If you are over weight, every pound you lose takes stress off your joints and muscles when you walk. Talk to your doctor and nutritionist, get involved in a weight loss program and start exercising in some kind of low impact, high cardio way like swimming.

2. Be prepared to spend some money on trying different shoes. What works for some does not work for others. Talk to a podiatrist. Try on lots of different walking/hiking shoes and orthotics. Find the combo that feels and works best for you.

3. Buy and learn to properly use trekking poles. I did see someone mentioned that. Very valuable tool to help keep stress off your joints.

4. On your training walks, try to stay off concrete and asphalt. That's murder on your feet and joints. Walk on natural and uneven surfaces and terrain as much as possible.

5. Pay attention to your core muscles. The senior center in town very likely has a program where folks learn to exercise with those elastic bands and achieve increased strength and flexibility with low impact or stress.

6. Warm up and stretch prior to training and/or walks. So important.

7. Listen to your body while training. If something hurts, stop doing it and do something else or rest.

8. Did I mention lose weight? Increase muscle strength and flexibility. Strong and flexible muscles help take stress off your joints.

9. Get lots of rest. If you exercise hard on one day, take it easy the next to allow healing.

10. Learn how to use ice and heating pads to reduce inflammation and enhance healing. Again talk to your doctor or physical therapist.

Hope this helps. Staying active in later years can be a challenge. It does not come free for many of us. You have to claim it!

Thanks for the advice. Regarding weight loss, despite being sedentary, I'm not overweight. I watch what I eat and my BMI is in the normal range.

It's hard on a long thread like this to read all the replies, but I've tried just about every point regarding doctors, shoes, exercise, etc. and it's clear that there is something wrong with me physically - doing anything repetitive with any part of my body (fingers, toes, wrists, ankles, feet, hand, arms, legs, hips, shoulders, etc.) causes new tendinopathy or make existing tendon or bursa problems flare up. I stretch nearly every part of my body throughout the day and an hour later I'm just as tight. I've been through the wringer with shoes, podiatrists, tons of medical specialists and physical therapists to try to overcome this. I'd decided that I'm not being realistic about doing a camino after my most recent attempt to build up to 5-10 minutes of walking per day didn't go well.

 

[gimpypilgrim]

@gimpypilgrim
I believe that you have established for yourself, with the help of many experienced walkers, that a walking pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago is not for you. Have you considered a bus tour type pilgrimage? If you feel called to do the camino there is more than one way to do so. How did you do your pilgrimage to Jerusalem? For you that was a meaningful experience and perhaps a group tour with transportation supplied could provide a similar experience. A friend of mine whose age and health precluded a walking pilgrimage did the Camino Frances by bus some years ago and was satisfied by the journey, although he could not and did not walk it. I went on a two week bus tour in Israel at Easter many years ago and was inspired by it. You can certainly make a religious and meaningful pilgrimage to Santiago without a compostela at the end of it, if you are called to such a pilgrimage. Many people do so each year. Think about it.

I haven't, not for the Camino. Instead, my choice would be a pilgrimage to Rome, perhaps in a couple of years, and I'd take advantage of as much car/bus transportation as possible. That's what I did with the group pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Despite the transportation that we had, there was still a lot of walking (for me), about 8,000 steps per day average. It was challenging and there were some climbs and such that I avoided. I did about 85% of what the group did, during the day (evenings were for recovery, not more exploration with the group!), which I was very glad I was able to do. I was perpetually the laggard due to walking speed but the others were understanding.

 

[gimpypilgrim]

My own theory is, walking on concrete or any hard even surface, is detrimental in basically the following way: --- Repetitive impact of your body weight on the same points of your feet, ankles, legs and back. The same muscles are used over and over with little or no variation. This results in greater frequency of fatigue and consequently injury. Uneven surfaces like dirt, gravel, rock, grass, etc., provide a more natural surface that we are evolved to walking on, using our muscles in a variety of ways and typically less impacting resulting in less fatigue and injury.

I am not a physician in any context. I am a former Marine that has spent a lot of time and effort bi-pedaling while carrying extra weight. Give me dirt, grass, gravel and even some rocks over a hard, even and unyielding surface anytime. I am 64. Of course, as I progress to the walker/wheelchair phase of my life, my opinion on hard and even surfaces is likely to change. And, as I said earlier, everyone is different. That's just my view.

I agree. As these problems with walking (especially foot pain) have developed, I feel as if I can feel the ground through my feet in a very sensitive way. Soil, grass, etc. feels springy, as if the earth is exerting a force lifting me up. Walking on any paved surface feels as if my feet are hammering the earth.

 

[Nds]

Not off-topic (I hope) but just as a side-track.... It has been so uplifting to read all those posts ... Thank you for sharing.

So true!

 

[piggyhinton]

Hello,

I've been contemplating a short (100km) camino for a little while, and I've read some forum posts, watched videos, and read some guide books. I've been thinking that I probably won't be able to pull it off at my age -- 50 -- but I've been amazed at the number of folks that are decades older than I am that are able to make it work!

I would be doing this as a religious pilgrimage.

Based on my maximum achievable daily step count of about 8,000 steps, I could walk about 6 km per day, which would take about 17 days to do 100km. (Not including any necessary days off.) I'm concerned that 6 km would not be enough to make it to the next albergue each day.

Although I enjoyed hiking and walking long distances when I was younger, today I'm a slow, deliberate walker due to pain. When I take a short walk (through a grocery store or shopping mall, for example), my feet start to ache deeply (and it lasts for days), and I experience much heel, knee and hip pain on both sides during and after walking. The pain has come on slowly over the years, mostly after knee surgeries, and my doctors said that it's osteoarthritis and tendonitis due to aging, and that beyond anti-inflammatories there is not a lot that can be done about it. (I've tried physical therapy but it hasn't helped.) So, when I see folks in their 60s, 70s or 80s walking several hundred km I'm amazed that they are able to do it!

Does anyone have any advice or perspective on this? Has anyone 50+ started a camino in a lot of pain from arthritis and tendonitis and then it lessened on the camino and became doable?

Thanks!

J.W.

I have done the Frances twice in the last 3 years and will do it again in May this year, I am 63, dodgy knees due to my job and have Parkinsons disease, if I can do it, so can you! Just take it easy, it's not a racee, listen to your body and enjoy the experience !! Buen Camino

 

[piggyhinton]

I agree. As these problems with walking (especially foot pain) have developed, I feel as if I can feel the ground through my feet in a very sensitive way. Soil, grass, etc. feels springy, as if the earth is exerting a force lifting me up. Walking on any paved surface feels as if my feet are hammering the earth.

Replace your insoles in your walking boots - it make a massive difference

 

[Seamus68]

Hi I was 50 last year walked the Camino ..asthmatic dodgy knees..so u can do it....for inflammation Manuka Honey helps...you can get it in health shops...it’s from New Zealand

 

[trecile]

To the last few posters - please read all of the previous posts. I believe that gimpypilgrim has already made a decision and has moved on.

 

[Nate Bissonette]

Grumpypilgrim, thank you for asking this question. I also need a short-stage Camino. I appreciate the references to the guidebooks but find them bewildering. Has anybody actually worked out a Sarria-to-Santiago itinerary for people who are physically limited to walking about 5-7 km per day? It's not that I'm too lazy to do the research, I'm looking for tried-and-true methods so I don't end up sleeping in a ditch.

What I'd dearly love is for someone to say: "Stay at Casa X, arrange with Taxi Service Y to pick you up when you get to Point Z, taxi back to Casa X for the night and back to Point Z in the morning to resume your walk . . . ." I'm particularly concerned about comments that there are stretches where it won't work, no taxi service, then what do I do?

If such an itinerary doesn't presently exist, could we find experienced pilgrims to write it? Many thanks to all the commenters who provide so much support and encouragement. This forum is the best!

 

[Iriebabel]

@gimpypilgrim I am 50 although most think I look much younger. I will turn 51 while walking my first Camino. 4 knee surgeries since 2001 on my left knee the first being an Osteotomy. Right knee is not fairing well these days either and have also had 2 left shoulder surgeries. I have anti trekking poles and great mid hiking boots along with great insoles. I will carry my TENS unit with me and is prepared for pain. To me the biggest part of thinking of doing a camino is mental. The pain will always be there it is how you choose to deal with it.

Some deal with pain better than others..I thank my mother in this instance because I think I get my high pain tolerance from her but Im only human and I am aware of my limitations. I say do your Camino at your own pace in your own time. There is a planning tool I found Which helped me to calculate towns and distances https://godesalco.com/plan/frances if you are worried about reaching the next Albergue. I agree with @JillGat Get with your doctor as far as medical guidance but also know only you know what your knees can take. Start slow walking at home and keep a positive attitude. Plan for the worst but hope for the best. Buen Camino

 

[Albertagirl]

["Nate Bissonette, post: 593289, member: 70604"]Grumpypilgrim, thank you for asking this question. I also need a short-stage Camino. I appreciate the references to the guidebooks but find them bewildering. Has anybody actually worked out a Sarria-to-Santiago itinerary for people who are physically limited to walking about 5-7 km per day? It's not that I'm too lazy to do the research, I'm looking for tried-and-true methods so I don't end up sleeping in a ditch.

What I'd dearly love is for someone to say: "Stay at Casa X, arrange with Taxi Service Y to pick you up when you get to Point Z, taxi back to Casa X for the night and back to Point Z in the morning to resume your walk . . . ." I'm particularly concerned about comments that there are stretches where it won't work, no taxi service, then what do I do?

If such an itinerary doesn't presently exist, could we find experienced pilgrims to write it? Many thanks to all the commenters who provide so much support and encouragement. This forum is the best![

@Nate Bissonette:
Welcome to the forum. I cannot give you the information which you need, but I can refer you to others who may. The Confraternity of St James in England offers assistance to pilgrims who may have personal challenges to being able to walk the camino, so they may have some of the information which you need. This link https://www.csj.org.uk/aims-objectives/ mentions this as one of their objectives. A member of this forum who can give further information about the Confraternity of St James can be reached at: @JohnnieWalker and is very helpful to pilgrims. You can start a personal conversation with him by clicking on Inbox at the top of this page when you are logged in, then clicking on Start a new conversation. Good luck in getting your camino arranged. From what I know about that part of the route, I think that it should be possible to sort it out. Buen camino.

 

[trecile]

Grumpypilgrim, thank you for asking this question. I also need a short-stage Camino. I appreciate the references to the guidebooks but find them bewildering. Has anybody actually worked out a Sarria-to-Santiago itinerary for people who are physically limited to walking about 5-7 km per day? It's not that I'm too lazy to do the research, I'm looking for tried-and-true methods so I don't end up sleeping in a ditch.

What I'd dearly love is for someone to say: "Stay at Casa X, arrange with Taxi Service Y to pick you up when you get to Point Z, taxi back to Casa X for the night and back to Point Z in the morning to resume your walk . . . ." I'm particularly concerned about comments that there are stretches where it won't work, no taxi service, then what do I do?

If such an itinerary doesn't presently exist, could we find experienced pilgrims to write it? Many thanks to all the commenters who provide so much support and encouragement. This forum is the best!

You might look at Camino tour companies that give you the option to ride in their van if you can't walk the daily distances. I just met a woman who did such a tour, and and she enjoyed it.

 

[Rick Chollett]

I'm 53 and will be walking my first Camino in May. I have a herniated disc, a constant sore knee and ankle, and bursitis in one shoulder. My strategy will be to go slow and steady. I'm bringing pain meds but vow to take it only in extreme situation.

 

[Ksf]

Hello,

I've been contemplating a short (100km) camino for a little while, and I've read some forum posts, watched videos, and read some guide books. I've been thinking that I probably won't be able to pull it off at my age -- 50 -- but I've been amazed at the number of folks that are decades older than I am that are able to make it work!

I would be doing this as a religious pilgrimage.

Based on my maximum achievable daily step count of about 8,000 steps, I could walk about 6 km per day, which would take about 17 days to do 100km. (Not including any necessary days off.) I'm concerned that 6 km would not be enough to make it to the next albergue each day.

Although I enjoyed hiking and walking long distances when I was younger, today I'm a slow, deliberate walker due to pain. When I take a short walk (through a grocery store or shopping mall, for example), my feet start to ache deeply (and it lasts for days), and I experience much heel, knee and hip pain on both sides during and after walking. The pain has come on slowly over the years, mostly after knee surgeries, and my doctors said that it's osteoarthritis and tendonitis due to aging, and that beyond anti-inflammatories there is not a lot that can be done about it. (I've tried physical therapy but it hasn't helped.) So, when I see folks in their 60s, 70s or 80s walking several hundred km I'm amazed that they are able to do it!

Does anyone have any advice or perspective on this? Has anyone 50+ started a camino in a lot of pain from arthritis and tendonitis and then it lessened on the camino and became doable?

Thanks!

J.W.

Maybe try walking your five or 10 cays per day for a few successive days
Then you’ll know

 

[NorthernLight]

Maybe try walking your five or 10 cays per day for a few successive days
Then you’ll know

This thread is old, and the poster moved on to another plan.

 

[steve 217]

As you can see from the replie 50 really is very young as a 58 yr old son ,of a 82 year old mother who walked from Sarria to Santigo last year .
You will be fine ,take your time, dont worry ,dont overthink it . Buen Camino

 

[trecile]

As you can see from the replie 50 really is very young as a 58 yr old son ,of a 82 year old mother who walked from Sarria to Santigo last year .
You will be fine ,take your time, dont worry ,dont overthink it . Buen Camino

This thread is old, and the poster moved on to another plan.

Sometimes it's useful to read the previous replies...

 

[AlwynWellington]

My strategy will be to go slow and steady.

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)

 

[Reidun Fyno]

At the age of 51, I experienced very much the same as you do. In the end I had much pain after walking less than 1 km. Then someone told me that I coud be allergic to gluten. I gave it a try. Removed bread and flour, and with that everything that had gluten in it, as I read the ingredient list on everything I had. After only a few days I could feel improvement. I visited a dietary adviser, alternative treatment, and he helped me a lot by givng me a diet that let my digenstive system heal. Some years later I walked the Camino Frances and the year after the Camino di Assisi. I still do not eat gluten, and I will never be able to - but I am in my 68 year - very healthy walking easily 10 - 15 km. Some months ago I tried taking enzymes to help digensting gluten. This works for some people, but did not work for me. I wish you all the best !

PS: Doctors do not, at least in Denmark, understand this. I don't know where you are, but I would still go to an recomended alternative