High temperatures, sun rays, mosquitoes, overload... easy to avoid inconveniences that can ruin your Camino.
Blisters
Foot blisters are caused by excessive friction with socks/shoes, as well as excessive moisture on the feet.
The four keys to avoiding blisters are:
- Used footwear.
- Shoes made for walking, of the appropriate size.
- Feet as dry as possible.
- Seamless natural fiber socks
New shoes should never be used for long walks. That's the easiest way to cause serious blisters that can leave you unable to walk for several days.
Shoes should be designed for walking and be the right size, molding to your foot firmly but not too tight. Some people may experience swelling after walking for hours, requiring a shoe size larger than usual.
Footwear should also keep feet reasonably dry while walking in the rain or in some of the waterlogged sections that we are likely to encounter. Many people sweat when walking, so to keep your feet dry while walking, you will have to use talcum powder or even sandals.
Natural fiber keeps feet dry and is softer than synthetic. Socks should also be designed for walking, with or without very smooth seams.
Tendinitis
Tendonitis is the most diagnosed chronic connective tissue disease in Western medicine. Symptoms typically include:
- Pain, often dull, especially when moving the affected joint.
- Sensitivity.
- Mild swelling.
Tendinitis is a substantial disease that requires immediate attention to avoid further damage. If it is suspected, it is essential to take care of it immediately with rest, ice and common pain relievers. Unfortunately, being affected is almost certainly having to interrupt the Path.
The causes of tendinitis, in the context at hand, are:
- Joints overloaded due to a backpack that is too heavy.
- Walking unbalanced, due to blisters or previous injuries.
- Lack of physical shape.
- Excessive daily distance.
- Dehydration (which is harmful to connective tissues).
Insect bites.
In Spain there is no risk of serious infections transmitted through insect bites, but mosquitoes and the like are still an irritation that can be avoided with mosquito repellent, easily available in any supermarket.
Sun burns.
In the north of Spain, ultraviolet radiation indices can reach very high figures during the summer.
A UV index between 8 and 10 indicates a very high risk of damage from unprotected sun exposure.
Try to minimize exposure to the sun between 12 and 18:00 (in summer, the time zone of Spain is more than two hours ahead of its natural meridian. In the most western areas, such as Santiago, during the summer solstice the sun sets around 22:15). It is recommended to seek shade and wear protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that block UVA rays. You should also use 30+ sun protection creams every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after sweating or swimming. Also be careful with shiny surfaces, such as sand and water, which reflect UVA rays.
Dehydration
Even without intense physical activity, low-level dehydration is a common problem that can affect health.
The first signs of dehydration are thirst, general malaise, dark colored urine and headache: this can be resolved simply by drinking.
People who are not used to prolonged exercise should be alert to these symptoms. If ignored, they can lead to more serious problems, such as exhaustion and heat stroke.
In the context of those who do the Camino, dehydration occurs when the loss of water from the body exceeds the intake of water, due to exercise or high temperatures.
Dehydration is easy to prevent, simply by drinking regularly. Don't wait until you feel thirsty to do it. Our body needs water on a regular basis; there is no magic number of so many liters per hour. Just try to drink a little more than usual.
Drinks with caffeine, sugar/sweeteners, or alcohol should not be taken if the intention is to hydrate.
Heat exhaustion and sunstroke.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are two potentially serious problems that can occur if the body reaches too high a temperature, and can occur during strenuous exercise in a hot environment. In the north of Spain the daytime temperature rarely reaches 40ºC, but it can still be enough to cause these problems.
Heat exhaustion occurs when the body depletes its stores of water and salts. Heat stroke (or heat stroke) occurs when the body is no longer able to cool itself.
Heat stroke and heat exhaustion can come on quickly within minutes, or develop gradually over several hours. Symptoms include:
- Tiredness and weakness
- Dizziness
- low blood pressure
- Headaches
- Muscle cramps.
- Malaise.
- Profuse sweat.
- intense thirst
- Rapid pulse.
- Infrequent urine, and much darker than usual.
With more serious symptoms if not treated quickly.
People suffering from these symptoms need immediate help and should lie down in a cool place. Their body must be cooled by all possible means: removing their clothes, moistening and ventilating the skin... as well as urgently hydrating.
They should not be left alone until they feel better, which should not take more than 30 minutes. If they continue the same or lose consciousness, medical help is necessary. Call 112.
