Neither placing the weight correctly in your backpack nor practicing on slopes: the keys that you are usually not given to avoid injuries on the Camino de Santiago

Summer is a time when many people take advantage of activities they can't do during other months. The Camino de Santiago is one of them . It's one of the most well-known pilgrimage route networks in Spain, and celebrities such as Ibai Llanos and Mariano Rajoy have completed it. The main objective is to obtain the Compostelana , but you also have to meet a goal: walk at least 100 kilometers . Therefore, we're talking about an intense exercise that requires prior preparation to avoid unexpected injuries .

The Professional College of Physiotherapists of the Community of Madrid (CPFCM) emphasizes several recommendations for people who plan to walk the Camino de Santiago . These recommendations can sometimes go unnoticed, but are just as important as enjoying the experience and making the most of every minute of the walk.

Be aware of what you are going to do

"Many people complete the Camino de Santiago as a recreational activity, without taking into account that it is a very demanding sporting event . The minimum distance required to complete the 'Compostelana' is 100 kilometers, and not everyone is prepared to walk that distance," says Javier López, a physiotherapist at the CPFCM who has completed the Camino, about a common mistake: not being aware of the physical effort involved.

We've already mentioned that completing the Camino de Santiago requires prior preparation, but we'd add what López says: "Training, as with any sport, must be done in real-life situations, or as close to what you'll encounter as possible, to adjust demands and abilities: improving your skills so you can easily handle the demands the Camino will pose." To achieve this, the CPFCM recommends practicing on surfaces similar to the routes, with uneven terrain and gradients, and remember to pack your backpack.

"On the climbs , you need, so to speak, strength and drive, while on the descents , you'll need more braking. You may have prepared very well for the uphill climbs, but you'll notice how all your muscles are strained on the descents as you rack up the miles, because you didn't work on the descents beforehand," adds López. At the same time, every day you train, it's ideal to add kilometers and see how your physical condition improves, but gradually, not all at once.

Be careful what you carry in your backpack.

Another key aspect for completing the Camino de Santiago in good condition has to do with your backpack: you can't overload it, but you can't be afraid of it either. In other words, "it's about adjusting your capacity to the demands , preparing yourself to be able to carry the weight you'll need during the journey without any problems," insists López. Therefore, he advises carefully analyzing what you'll need during the route.

Continuing with the backpack, another error that the CPFCM experts have detected is poor weight placement . "The more evenly distributed the weight is across the entire back, the more balanced the loads and muscle activations you have to perform are . Ultimately, it's a lever arm that will make the weight lighter or heavier depending on how well or poorly it's distributed, respectively," says the physiotherapy expert.

Regarding what to pack, the CPFCM recommends against wearing new shoes . They should be lightweight and adaptable to the foot, and they should be suitable for practicing during training.

A controlled break

Any athletic person will know the importance of a good rest . This is also true for the Camino de Santiago. You shouldn't just consider taking breaks at the end of a route, but also the stops you make along the way because, as López points out, "if you've already been walking for an hour and a half, even if you feel fine, it's better to stop for a while, and not wait until you've walked for three hours and then stop when you can't go on. You have to slow down sooner, because recovery will be much easier ."

He also mentions that " you shouldn't force the situation and wait until you're exhausted to rest for a while, nor force yourself to travel a distance that, on the ground, is very difficult to achieve. On the contrary, to avoid nerves because you won't make it to the hotel or hostel and to avoid injuries , above all, you have to plan each section in advance with the necessary margin in case unforeseen events arise or if at the moment of truth you can't complete a stage in the time you thought."

Do not force each person's pace and use the cane properly.

Many people choose to walk the Camino de Santiago with friends or family, which is just as valid as doing it alone. But "everyone has their own pace; you shouldn't force yourself. If someone wants to go faster, it's perfectly fine to wait for others after five kilometers , rather than forcing the speed of others, which would cause many muscular problems related to that overexertion," the physiotherapist points out.

Finally, another very common mistake is related to the use of the walking stick , one of the most common tools used by pilgrims. Not knowing how to measure the correct height can lead to injury . Therefore, the CPFCM recommends carrying them at a relatively high level to form a support point for the arm and for the elbow to create a 90-degree angle . This provides the necessary propulsion, traction, and balance. If you have to go uphill or downhill, since most walking sticks are adjustable, they recommend reducing the length by five or ten centimeters.