Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela: physiotherapeutic follow-up and psychological analysis of it (I)

Abstract

 In this first article there are included the Physical Therapy aspects, in a second one there will be co¬
ered the psychological aspects. A cineatropometric and spirometric study has been carried out on six subjects during the march to Santiago de Compostela within the 1999 Jacobean year. The first goal of
he study was to analyse the variations on both cineatropometric and spirometric parameters that are produced when walking or cycling to Santiago. The second goal was to describe the most frequents peregrine activity pathologies. A peregrine physiotherapy assistance program has been developed to carry on the studies. A cineantropometric questionnaire and a forced vital capacity test both previous and posterior of the activity were used to measure the values. On their way to Santiago, the cyclists muscular component improved more than that of the walkers, their fatty component remained equally, and their forced vital capacity was also superior to that of the walkers; this trend seems logi¬
al since cycling is a more exigent aerobic activity than walking. The forced vital capacity which is in re¬
ation with the aerobic respiratory component, determine that smoking persons obtain a greater im¬
rovement in their respiratory aparatus than non-smoker ones. As far the second goal, peregrine pathology, walkers have a preference in foot and in leg muscles, whereas cyclists have a preference in the knee and in thigh muscles.