… offered openly and with good intentions is worthy of being accepted in kind.
After the first two days my left knee started to complain. Not due to a specific incident, more just the repeated careful steps up and – mainly – down hills.
While leaving Puente La Riene, heading for Estella, crossing this iconic bridge, I met a fellow pilgrim pulling a cart with a green cross. In conversation it turned out that he walks the Camino offering medical aid to pilgrims. When I mentioned my knee a knee support was offered. I declined – everything would be fine in a day or two. This led to a discussion about how he found men usually said no to his offers of aid.
So I changed my mind – they say “the Camino provides” – and immediately put on the support.
It has remained with me since then, worn most days, and the knee feels much better for it.