Last weekend, the adventurous spirit of a pilgrim collided with a painful reality: the excessive weight of her backpack. The walker required the intervention of the Burguete park firefighters in the area of Bentartea, in Valcarlos, after suffering severe back pain that prevented him from continuing his route.
The pilgrim carried unsustainable luggage to travel on foot between 20 and 30 kilometers a day: two backpacks, two additional bags and a musical instrument guitar type.
Firefighters, specialized in assisting pilgrims, came to the rescue. After locating her, they loaded the voluminous luggage into one of their vehicles and transported the woman, who could only surrender to the physical evidence. Through its X account, the fire department shared the incident with direct advice: "Be cautious with the amount and weight of luggage, to avoid this type of situation."
The Golden Rule of the Road: Do not exceed 10% of Body Weight
The Valcarlos incident is an urgent reminder of the fundamental rule of pilgrimage: the backpack is a risk if the weight is not respected.
As a general guideline, the recommended weight of the backpack should not exceed 10% of body weight of the pilgrim This translates, ideally, into a range of 6 and 8 kilograms for most walkers.
Carrying an excessive load not only causes back pain, but is the source of common and serious injuries, such as tendinitis or recurring problems in the feet and legs. Therefore, it is recommended to use a backpack anatomical and balanced, which has good support at the hips (and not at the waist) to distribute the weight correctly and ensure that the path is an experience of improvement, not of unnecessary suffering.
