What I Learned About the Human Body While Walking 500 Miles on the Camino de Santiago
The human body is incredible.
Truly, I don’t think it gets enough credit. Or rather, we don’t give ourselves the credit we deserve when accomplishing great physical challenges, whether it’s walking 500 miles or walking a single mile after surgery.
Last May, I embarked on a solo, life-changing experience: walking 500 miles (560 to be exact) on the Camino de Santiago, a historic pilgrimage route across France and northern Spain where travelers often experience the physical and mental health benefits of walking.
People walk the Camino for many reasons—reflection, healing, adventure. My own intentions were clear: to connect with my body, process stress, and experience firsthand the power of healing through movement and the deep benefits of walking for health.
Walking outside has always been one of my favorite forms of exercise. Aside from the obvious health benefits of walking, I find it’s equally powerful for processing mental and emotional stress. For me, there’s something about the rhythm of walking in nature that slowly dissolves tensions—both in the mind and body.
After 35 days of walking with all my belongings on my back— through emotional highs and lows, bouts of pain and injury, and countless connections with fellow pilgrims from around the world— here’s what I learned about the human body.
1. Consistency Builds Strength: What Daily Walking Taught Me About the Human Body
I know you’ve heard the mantra “you can do it” many times before, especially when your physical therapist is trying to convince you to complete “just one more set” in the clinic, but I really didn’t appreciate it fully until I was on the Camino.
Walking is evolutionarily our most natural form of movement, with health benefits supported by research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) including, but not limited to:
- Improved cardiac health
- Decreased joint and muscle stiffness
- Stronger bones
- Improved sleep
The Camino was a unique challenge, walking ~15 miles per day, with a heavy pack, across diverse terrains and varying climates.
The early stages were extremely strenuous, as it took time to get acclimated to the new routine. Each day would bring new obstacles—muscle cramps, high temperatures, mental exhaustion, navigating a new, unfamiliar place every day—and these would further feed my self-doubt about completing this journey.
However, over time, something incredible started to happen. With every mile I put behind me, I also left behind a little bit of doubt. My body grew stronger, slowly adapting to the challenge. And somewhere along the way, my mental perspective shifted: I started believing I could do this.
The true power lies in perseverance. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, working on walking for recovery, or training for a race, the recipe is the same: Don’t wait until you feel ready—show up, work through the doubts, and watch the confidence follow.
2. Pain Is a Teacher: How Listening to Discomfort Supports Injury Recovery
Whenever I experienced pain on the Camino, I would ask myself this:
Is this pain something I can move through, or is it my body signaling me to stop and make a change?
This is an important question I often asked my patients to reflect on during rehab. In physical therapy, we spend a lot of time talking about pain. And though pain can be complex and evolving, the ability to tune into it is what ultimately helps us take care of it.
Shortly after starting the Camino, I developed severe knee pain after several days of walking downhill over rocky terrain. Initially, I tried to push through the pain, hoping that icing it and resting it after 15 miles of walking would be enough. However, the pain only got worse. Eventually, it was swollen, stiff, and painful just to stand on the leg.
Though initially discouraged, I knew I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I took a full day off from walking, bought a knee brace, took some over-the-counter medication, and even got in to see a PT in Spain. Following the injury, I eased back into walking gradually, but with a deeper understanding and more compassionate approach to navigating future pain.
That valuable moment reminded me of what I coach patients on every day: knowing when to push and when to pause is key. When we listen to our pain, rather than fear it or fight it, we give ourselves a chance to truly heal and support long-term injury recovery.
3. Stretching Changed Everything: Why Daily Mobility Matters for Long-Distance Walks
By the end of the first few days on the Camino, I had fallen into the simple routine: wake up, get ready, and start walking.
But when my knee injury occurred, I had to modify my routine to add an important step: stretching.
It’s likely your PT has emphasized the importance of stretching regularly during rehab. And even though I had a sense of the physical challenge I was undertaking and what muscles would be working, I didn’t take the time to develop a mobility routine until I was forced to.
There really is truth in the old saying “doctors make the worst patients.”
I began incorporating stretching into my morning and evening routine, with additional bouts of stretching throughout the day as needed. I focused primarily on hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves—the areas most impacted from my injury. I also added in stretches for my pecs and upper back to reduce tightness and aching from carrying my heavy backpack.
In addition to stretching, I used a lacrosse ball to release particularly sore areas. I was incredibly glad I brought it along, as it proved useful for me and many other pilgrims dealing with similar aches and pains. Those daily movement habits—stretching and targeted muscle release—helped me manage pain and became valuable tools for injury prevention while walking, allowing me to keep moving every day.
4. Healing Isn’t Linear: The Mental Health Benefits of Walking at Your Own Pace
It’s easy to fall into the rat race of life. Working through lunch, speeding to get to your next destination, comparing ourselves to others — we’re subconsciously on a mission to be “better” or “faster” or more “productive,” chasing the illusion of an invisible finish line.
At first, the Camino felt no different. There was an unspoken urgency between pilgrims to reach the next town in the guidebook’s “stage.” Some of this was practical—local hostels would fill up quickly, leaving you to walk farther to the next town.
Initially, I was able to keep pace with the pilgrims I met, getting caught up in good conversations that made 15 miles go by without notice.
But after my knee injury, I had to make changes in my routine. Though I was afraid of “falling behind” and losing the company of my new friends, I had to prioritize my health.
And it changed everything.
I began to move more intentionally, taking longer breaks to rest, eat, and stretch. The slower pace gave space to be present, in tune with myself and the surrounding nature, and to truly appreciate the health benefits of walking—benefits that go far beyond physical fitness and are a key part of both injury recovery and healing through movement.
I met new companions who matched my rhythm, leading to some beautiful, lifelong friendships. Though we often get frustrated when life forces us to slow down, ultimately, it’s a second chance to reconnect and ground ourselves within the experience.
5. Start from the Ground Up: Foot Care Tips That Kept Me Moving 500 Miles
Throughout my research for the Camino, one piece of advice came back over and over again— take care of your feet.
The reason for this was obvious. You’re setting out to walk 500 miles, a task your body is not usually accustomed to. Many pilgrims shared stories of improper footwear and poor feet management, leading to injuries and blisters and ultimately long recovery days.
If your feet can’t carry you, the rest of you doesn’t stand a chance.
I was fortunate to walk the Camino with just one blister that developed only in the last few days. Here are the habits that worked best for me:
- I alternated between Hoka trail runners (a full size up to accommodate swelling) and Teva sandals, usually switching to the sandals midday to adapt to swelling and heat.
- I wore two pairs of socks daily to reduce friction between my feet and the footwear.
- I applied Vaseline to the bottoms of my feet each morning to minimize friction.
- I used Compeed blister pads at the first signs of irritation under the balls of my feet.
Proper foot care is one of the most overlooked practices when it comes to experiencing the full health benefits of walking long distances—it keeps you moving, prevents injuries, and makes the journey far more enjoyable. And when combined with mindful pacing and consistent care, it supports injury recovery.
I am forever grateful for the time I spent on the Camino de Santiago. It was an achievement of not just physical endurance, but also mental perseverance and emotional presence. The experience taught me the strength in connections built with other pilgrims. These bonds surpassed language, forming instead the universal language of healing through movement—a reminder that walking for recovery can be as much about community as it is about personal strength.
With each mile forward, I shed my doubts and anxieties, feeling lighter and stronger in both mind and body.
The lessons I learned on the Camino reflect what I see every day in rehab: that healing through movement happens slowly, through consistent effort, and with compassion for yourself and the journey.
Whether you’re training for something big or just looking to get moving again after injury, physical therapy can help you build strength, ease pain, and regain confidence. If you’re inspired to start your own journey, we’d love to walk alongside you. Find a clinic near you to schedule a free screening.
Article by Sonali Sethi, PT, DPT
Sonali Sethi is a physical therapist and health writer with over five years of experience in outpatient orthopedics. She’s passionate about making health education accessible and bridging the gap between healthcare and everyday life. When she’s not working, you can find her on a hiking trail, at the climbing gym, lost in a good book, or planning her next adventure.
