Shin splints and a wet backpack

[Aryk]

Well it's 33 days and counting. Getting more anxious as the days go on. I have a couple questions. 1st I went out to a local lake to do a test walk to see if I could do it. Went 11.3 miles. Everything was fine. So I got up the next morning and just to make sure I could do it again. 9 miles into 11 the lower part of my shin was hurtin'. Came home and looked it up on the computer and shin splints was the answer. I rested the next day put ice on it and was all better the following morning. So I know how to heal it, but how do I stop it from happening in the first place?? 2nd question. It was raining like cats and frogs. I was dry so the rain gear worked, but my backpack was soaked. I used my raincover, but that did nothing for the part against my back. Luckly I had everything in zip-locks, but I imagine a wet backpack would be heavier even if everything inside was dry. Is that something I'm just going to have to deal with?? Last question. I got a pair of trekking poles. My opinion was they were difficult. Knocked them against everything, even against my face at one point while scratching my head. I've read other postings about the pros and cons about the poles. See I'm uncoordinated most times, could trekking poles not be for me?? All y'alls help has been helpful. Any advice will be appreciated.
Aryk

[Lipka149]

Well it's 33 days and counting. Getting more anxious as the days go on.

Surprise, surprise ...

how do I stop it [shin splints] from happening in the first place??

I'm not sure you can, Aryk. Try to stay off of hard surfaces. Other than that, it's kinda one of those things you just have to deal with. No pain, no gain, Brother !

my backpack was soaked. I used my raincover, but that did nothing for the part against my back. Luckly I had everything in zip-locks, but I imagine a wet backpack would be heavier even if everything inside was dry. Is that something I'm just going to have to deal with??

Yup. Unless you invest in a backpack that has webbing and a frame to give you clearance.

I got a pair of trekking poles. My opinion was they were difficult. Knocked them against everything, even against my face at one point while scratching my head. I've read other postings about the pros and cons about the poles. See I'm uncoordinated most times, could trekking poles not be for me??

Trekking poles take some practice to use effectively. A young buck like you should be able to do without them. Pick up a stick along the Way (or wait until one is provided for you) and make it your friend. You will come to use it as needs be. I paid $150 for my poles and left them home. Had a hand made "pole" crafted for me by a Camino angel named Pepe and it served me well ! Much more versatile than anything I would have brought.

Looking forward to reading about your experience, Aryk. Are you going to blog along the Way ???

All the best, as you anticipate your Journey !!!

[Wotsit]

I struggled with shin splints when I first started distance running but solved it with a trip to see a physiotherapist who uses pilates. I had a number of exercises to do, which strengthened my glutes and my shin splints disappeared altogether. They've never come back.

Its possible that walking with a backpack has shifted the way in which you carry yourself, so those muscles just need to strengthen.

[GHS]

On our first day everything got wet. We had our stuff in ziplocks, and used our rain covers, but to no avail. From day 2, we double lined our rucksacks with a refuse sack and I'm sure this would have helped - but then it didn't rain again! Certainly would go with the double lining though. Can't help with shin splints as luckily haven't had the problem. The Camino was the first time I walked with poles, and I will never walk without them again. Hope this helps

[larrybarrett2]

How did the shin splints work out on the Camino?
I'm leaving in 11 weeks for SJPP...I experienced shin splints two weeks ago,after training for 6 months...I was told start over again with 8 pounds instead of the 18 I plan to carry...to walk 5 miles at first,before gradually working up to the 15 to 17 I hope to do a day...I'm 67...and I'm restarting my engines today..
Larry

[Aryk]

Thank you all for the help. As for the question about blogging on my Camino. Honestly I wouldn't know where to begin doing that. Would one have to set up a bloggie site or page?? I know a question like that may seem odd comming from a 34 year old (will be 35 TOMORROW yee-haw) I know soliciting Happy Birthdays is tacky, but I'll take em however I can get em!! Back to my question, for y'all ghat have read my postings before, I have a bad habit of getting off track. There I went again. Question, how would I blog?? I've never even read a blog. I'm leaving my phone at home, so I won't have my email or the Internet in my pocket. So then what?? I think I would like to use a 'puter more than a paper journal. One thing I hate more than computers is handwriting. I was taught penmanship but a slew of nuns, so that's pretty good but usually my brain is running faster than my hand can write and the result is a massive jumble mess with bad punctuation and horribly run on sentences. Much like my posts on this forum.
Aryk

[unadara]

Hey Wotsit
Want to share the exercises, so many with me on the Camino, all "types" suffered, some to intense degrees, if I thought exercise would leave me clear "next" time I'd be a very happy walker
Poles are a life saver, you do need to read how to use them, you need to remember that even if you have trained, you have not trained for 31 days in a row, so as Lipka says you may feel pain, i would say, you WILL feel pain, one type or another, even though I blogged and am an avid journal keeper I go along with out texan friend, keep it in your heart young man and enjoy..also advice for all tendonitis (shin splints etc) drink isotonics, I didn't know this, despite knowing everything!

[Aryk]

Thank you for the Happy Birthday email!!!! Who'da thunk it. I'm MIDDLE AGED!!!! WOO-HOO I made it !!!

[BHinSanDiego]

I too suffered from shin splints on my Camino, I don't have any good advise to avoid them, you just have to work through it. As for the poles, I strongly suggest to keep training with them, they will come in handy, they can be a real lifesaver on downhill walking, with the weight on the back they will relieve some of the stress, like anything it's training the more you use them the more you'll become used to them. I do a lot of hiking in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, with that in mind it is also second nature to me to line my pack with trash can bags, keep everything in them, in all my trips I've never had a problem with things getting wet, to make it easier just start out that way, don't just line the inside when it's raining, use the bags all the time, also take extras, just lay them in the bottom of your pack. I also use a rain cover on the pack for when it rains and last but not least a poncho over me and the pack while in the rain. And wear a rain jacket also. With those items I haven't had a problem with my pack getting too wet and not wet at all inside. When it comes to rain a little is going to find its way to some part of the outside of the pack but mine for the most part just had a couple of small damp spots.