Özet:

Purpose: Functional deficiencies that occur after stroke cause individuals to become dependent on others. It is known that caregivers of stroke individuals with low functional level become vulnerable to musculoskeletal problems due to the physical load they are exposed to. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of the functional status of stroke individuals on the musculoskeletal pain of caregivers of these individuals. Material-method: The study included 45 stroke individuals whose clinical condition was stable for at least 8 weeks, and 45 caregivers who provided care for these individuals for at least 8 weeks. Persons with acute pain and paid care were excluded from the study. Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) was applied to determine the functional status of hemiplegic/hemiparetic individuals. The Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire was used to evaluate the musculoskeletal pain of caregivers. Pain severity was determined by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). According to the results of the evaluation, the caregivers were divided into two groups according to the functional level of the stroke individuals they care for, and musculoskeletal pain comparison was made between the groups. Results: It was observed that the groups were similar in terms of sociodemographic characteristics (p>0.05). It was determined that the severity and frequency of pain of low back pain were higher than the other region in the caregivers of the group with low functional status (p<0.05). Low back pain VAS value at rest and during activity was found to be significantly higher in the group with low functional status (p<0.05). Conclusion: The functional status of stroke individuals changes the need for care. The low functional level increases the musculoskeletal system burden of caregivers. For this reason, the spine-related symptoms of caregivers of stroke individuals with low functional level should be handled more meticulously.

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