 for kids carrying heavy bags off to school and it happens every year They go back and they look like they've got more books in there than ever and there's all sorts of things You know can you know carry all of them at one go and so on and yet no matter how we twist it no matter How we do it it seems they're heading off every day with really heavy school bags Does this genuinely cause back pain or just as parents do we look on and we look concerned and that really they You know, they they're just fine. Is it is it just us that's been overly worried? Well, physio Johnny lorry of JT physio joins us now and we're streaming live as well Facebook and YouTube Johnny Good afternoon to you after then. Thanks for having me on John Now school bags and this year heavy school bags. It's an issue that comes up every year and this is across the board It's not just secondary schools, but it's also primary schools and should we be concerned And well, it's an area that they've been looking, you know a lot into and there was a huge lit review done Last year that was analyzing kind of things and outs of it and then one of the world's leading experts in back pain here No, Sullivan Did a lecture and other afterwards and basically they were finding that a heavy school bag in itself Won't necessarily cause back pain. So there's not a direct link in terms of And if a if a child that is fit and healthy and has no underlying issues carries a heavy school bag It won't necessarily cause back pain. It's what ends up happening is in a lot of circumstances There are other factors that might be there and you know underlying issues that would cause back pain anyway And that a heavier school bag then can obviously exacerbate these a little bit and that's what we're finding Okay So it's if if the child is fit and healthy a heavy school bag Shouldn't we should shouldn't be concerned. However, if there's underlying issues, maybe it could slight back problem already Maybe they're, you know, very unfit or just unhealthy in some other way Carrying heavy bags is gonna make things worse. Is that it? Yeah And I mean just to highlight as well back pain and adolescence is very very common Some of the studies would show that between 7 and 58 percent of people between the ages of 10 and 18 will have Some sort of back or neck pain within the period of a year And there was another good study done released in America as well It was showing it up to a third of teenagers had had about back pain, you know in any given year So different things that can cause that Physical fitness is the biggest one John So, I know we we kind of harboring all the time about how much exercise heads should be getting but it's hugely important that we're getting enough Exercise and aerobic exercise getting our heart and lungs fit But also getting the musculature fit and strong as well. So exercise is hugely important Diet is very very important We know the link there that mental health has you know and and increased levels of stress can influence back pain hugely So I always find that in the clinic, you know coming up to exam time You might get more kids coming in with with back time or back pain if they're if they're worried or stressed about exams And the other interesting factor, you know, obviously about growing pains as well But one of the very interesting factors is that if you have a Child or a parent that's very anxious about the weight of the school bag It was actually shown to be a protector of back pain as well So somebody that's very stressed about, you know, thinking a lot about carrying a heavier bag They were they were more prone to getting a little bit of pain as well So it's like reflective pain if parents really worried about That we won't come out with a heavy bag that can be reflected in how the child feels. Yeah Yeah Is there not a Is it not a case of you know There's an awful lot of kids anymore sort of lying around far more than they should on devices and and that's I know you mentioned their overall health And I suppose kind of it's all intertwined Yeah, hugely so I mean the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just Would would recommend 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise, you know So that kids are out running and exercising and playing and doing things and you were rightly saying there that I suppose as Technology has grown over the years people are playing video games a little bit more and maybe sit them on their iPhones and iPads and Laptops in the evening. So just encouraging kids to get out and exercise and then play in sport and keep them keeping fit And strong and healthy is is really the key So you'll find that if a child is kind of I suppose a little bit fitter and a little bit stronger carrying a school bag Is a lot easier for them. Okay, so we We shouldn't be overly concerned about the weight off through the school bag within reason but we should be concerned about the amount amount of activity that Our children are doing and about how healthy they are and supposed to be on their diet and just the amount of exercise to get Yes, but looking at the bigger pieces of the puzzle So getting enough exercise making sure that the diet is good and that the child is a nice kind of healthy healthy weight and You know, I suppose keeping fit and strong and healthy and looking at trying to identify if the child is maybe under stress or anxiety As well and like we were saying one of the variables we can't control is growing pains So, you know, if the child is going through a growth spurt, you know, obviously That might predispose them to a bit of back pain and which case carrying a heavier bag if they're going through a growth Spurt as you know can be can can flare flare up the pain a little bit as well So, yeah, it's looking at the big pieces of the puzzle and just I suppose trying to control the variables We can control so they exercise diet stress levels anxiety And then just factoring in you know where there might be other issues Things like a scoliosis or things so obviously if you do you have back pain and and are concerned about it Just to go to your GP or your physio and and have a checkup and they'll be able to rule out Do anything else as well. Yeah, like a lot of issues. It's not just one factor It can be a combination of and and are there things that we can do to to make life easier Are there any types of bags that are that are better than others? Yeah, I think the important thing to note as well as I suppose, you know There's no correlation between how expensive a bag is and the likelihood if you get back pain as well I think the key is getting a bag that that is very comfortable and fits the child well And what we would recommend is maybe one with double straps around the shoulders So that we know that a mono strap or a strap that goes diagonally across the chest can have it the Estim respiratory system so it can influence breathing sometimes So just one either side of the shoulders. That's nice and nice and comfortable and fits the child well is is is perfect Well, I back pain obviously not a preserve of the young and there's a text here That says for a person with a bulging disc that is Generative and with a long way ahead for any medical intervention. So what's the best way to relieve pain and Maybe build strength around the back safely And I suppose you would you would have to really assess and see kind of what they're able for them What sort of level they're at the minute But what we do know is that appropriate exercises be so that if we have a say an issue with a disc there, that's That needs a bit of attention Finding out exactly how much we can do and then trying to get a little bit fatter and a little bit stronger and a little bit more mobile with that underlying disc issue is is very very important and we know even that you know up to three times a week of Aerobic activity so exercise even just like like cycling on a bike or on a stationary bike or walking Can help to relieve pain. So it's about Finding out exactly where you're at and what your baseline is and just trying to get a little bit stronger a little bit more mobile And a little bit fitter in the presence of it and in 90 plus percent of cases We can manage those types of issues very well with physiotherapy You know and just just doing your doing the appropriate exercises at the right level and being consistent with it Another question for you and nothing to do with the back But could you please ask Johnny are there socks available to support plant or for status and where would I get them? There are socks that you can get and there are two different types There would be socks that are designed to try and support the arch a little bit more And you can get those in many different types of chemists and online And then there is a different type of sock called a Strasburg sock that basically when you're sleeping at night You would put on the sock and it's almost like an attachment from your shin bone to your foot So it kind of holds your foot or your toes closer towards your head. So in that in that type of position Some patients find that that gives them good relief So basically when you get up first thing in the morning with plant or fasciitis That the foot can feel very very sore and stiff and some people wear these socks They're called Strasburg socks just to try and give them a little bit of relief So those would be the two types of socks and You can get them in most chemists or online and the research is kind of mixed on it but what I would say to people is try it and See how you're going and in most cases even with plant or fasciitis We know that appropriate strength work and stretches and a little bit of shockwave therapy can can do the trick in most cases Yeah, I always associate plant or fasciitis with Doing too much walking in the wrong type of shoes and maybe you know shoes with a with a hard bottom or flat shoe Is that the main cause? It can It varies really but with any tissue in the body and particularly with plant or fasciitis a lot of the time It's that the tissues put under maybe a wee bit more stress or a different type of stress in a sudden way That it's not used to or can't tolerate so it gets inflamed angry and so we're and so yeah John Wearing changing your footwear to one that's you know a harder footwear if you're used to very kind of softer runners And it be a trigger one of the other things that I would find is we get a lot of patience through the door that Might be wearing footwear of a certain type all the time and they go on a sun holiday for two weeks and wear flip-flops or Sandals that you know have have no support and are just spongy and those those that can trigger plant or fasciitis as well All right then and before that you go I just want to mention there's a Charity cycle is coming up this weekend. It's in Donegal town It's native for no barriers foundation and it's it's very accessible because it's just eight kilometers. It's just over eight kilometers Yeah, so we're kicking off really excited for the no barriers foundation So this is going to be over in Donegal town on Saturday morning and just 8k So everybody's more than welcome its design so that you don't have to be a an avid cyclist You don't even have to own a big part of the minute We've got a couple of people helping us out here So it's taken off from the avid vocational school in Donegal town and you can pre-register And we you can check out our Instagram and Facebook for all that information Or we'll give it to highland radio as well if anyone wants it They can they can be the register and so you come along at 10 o'clock in the morning Over to the avid vocational school if you need to rent a bike That's no problem if you get in touch with John Grant bike mobile the day before so on Friday Thursday or Friday He can have a bike sitting there ready for you We'll have tea and coffee from Danny Gallagher MRP is organizing teas and coffees down there complimentary And we have another bit of sponsorship from MacU science I'm really excited that no Cunningham Donegal person of the year will be on site as well to help there So it's native no barriers foundation We'll have our robotic suit over there with one of the locals Rose McNulty who would use the suit there in Donegal town She'll be demonstrating the suit and basically it's a native Neural rehab and getting better infrastructure and facilities in the Northwest for people with brain injuries spying lindrup stroke MS and a lot of other things as well. Absolutely a fantastic cost That's this Saturday 10 o'clock leaves from the vocational school Donegal town Just over 8k on the bike and you're heading out towards about a Shannon out to the Tulliard junction and then Over to the the drum loner her roundabout at Lidl and then back into the town and back over to the vocational Yeah, nice and longer bypass and a plenty of room. Yeah, any space. Okay We're going to your Facebook page is the no barriers foundation Facebook page to register or for more information Thanks, Johnny Best look