EFFECT OF CAREGIVING BURDEN ON TRUNK MUSCLE STRENGTH, ENDURANCE, AND FLEXIBILITY IN CAREGIVERS OF NEUROLOGICAL PATIENTS

Purpose: This study was planned to examine the effects of caregiving burden on strength, endurance, and flexibility of trunk muscles in caregivers of neurological patients. Methods: One-hundred and seven volunteer participants were included in this descriptive and cross-sectional study. After the median value of BAKAS Caregiving Impact Scale scores of all participants was calculated, they were divided into two groups as group with high caregiving burden (n=58, 36F, 22M) and group with low caregiving burden (n=49. 27F, 22M). Strength, endurance, and flexibility tests of trunk flexor, extensor, and lateral flexor muscles were used to evaluate trunk muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility between the groups. Results: The mean age of group with high caregiving burden was 46.93 +/- 14.95 years, and group with low caregiving burden was 42.00 +/- 14.55 years. The characteristics of groups including age, body mass index, gender, and diagnosis were similar (p>0.05). Trunk flexor and extensor muscle strength, and extension and lateral flexion flexibility of group with high caregiving burden were significantly worse than those of low caregiving burden (p<0.05). The other physical fitness parameters were similar (p>0.05). Conclusion: Increase of caregiving burden may reduce strength and flexibility of trunk muscle, which contributes to development of structural and functional disturbance. It is, therefore, important to provide ergonomic education to caregivers and to make interventions in order to increase strength and flexibility of the trunk muscles with the aim of reducing the degenerative effects of the caregiving and enhancing the efficiency of caregiving process.