International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education (IJCRME) Impact Factor: 6.725, ISSN (Online): 2455 - 5428 (www.rdmodernresearch.com) Volume 2, Issue 2, 2017 48 LOW BACK PAIN AND ITS IMPACT ON ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING AND GENERAL HEALTH IN PRIMARY CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY Shreevidya Karthik* & Fatima Sirnaik** * Assistant Professor, School of Physiotherapy, D.Y Patil University, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra ** Physiotherapy Student, School of Physiotherapy, D.Y Patil University, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra Cite This Article: Shreevidya Karthik & Fatima Sirnaik, “Low Back Pain and its Impact on Activities of Daily Living and General Health in Primary Caregivers of Children With Cerebral Palsy”, International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education, Volume 2, Issue 2, Page Number 48-52, 2017. Copy Right: © IJCRME, 2017 (All Rights Reserved). This is an Open Access Article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Abstract: This study intended to evaluate low back pain and its impact on activities of daily living in primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP). [Method]: A community based cross sectional study was conducted on 100 primary caregivers with chronic low back pain. A validated questionnaire for work analysis and Modified Oswestry low back pain disability questionnaire were used to study the impact of low back pain on Activities of Daily Living and general health in primary caregivers of children with CP. [Results]: By visual analogue scale, 47% of the subjects didn’t have any low back pain at rest, while 51 % of them experienced mild pain at rest. But, 60 % of the primary caregivers experienced moderate pain on activity, followed by 28% with moderate pain.[Conclusion]:Maximum number of study subjects experienced severe low back pain on activity. Most of them successfully managed the pain with rest. As per Modified Oswestry low back pain disability Index, most of the primary caregivers fell under moderate to minimal disability category and least in severe disability category. Key Words: Low Back Pain, Primary Caregiver, Cerebral Palsy, Activities of Daily Living & General Health Introduction: Cerebral Palsy is defined as a disorder of movement and posture due to a defect or lesion of the immature brain; however it is accompanied by other impairments that reduce functioning. Every type of cerebral palsy is characterised by abnormal muscle tone, reflexes, motor development and in coordination. It may subsequently lead to tightmuscles, joint and bone deformities and permanent fixed contractures. Other disabling features include seizures, learning disabilities, and communication, behavioural problems, and intellectual impairments, visual and hearing difficulties [1].Hence being a complex clinical entity these children often need special care. Children with cerebral palsy require assistance in performing daily activities and ambulation. They need endless care giving as many of them have limitations in self-care functions such as feeding, dressing, bathing, toileting and mobility. The care and treatment of children with cerebral palsy can be quite demanding in terms of time, stress and expenditure. Sigrid Ostenjo & Eva Brogren et alfound a large variability in functioning, mobility, self-care and social function levels of the affected children because of heterogeneity of cerebral palsy. [2] The caregivers need to provide care regularly under complex circumstances thereby keeping a balance between family, their careers and other responsibilities. A study by Sawyer MG & Bittman Metal stated that on an average mothers spent 6hrs/24hrs and 8.3hrs/24hrs caring for children with cerebral palsy on weekdays and weekends respectively[3]. Studies have demonstrated huge increment in care requirement in view of increased needs of the children with cerebral palsy (in addition to the usual needs of children), and have also affected parent’s physical, social wellbeing and financial stability. [4,5]. Thus while care giving is a normal part of being a parent of any young child providing high level of care required by the child with long term functional limitations can become burdensome. In this process the caregivers tend to neglect their own health problems. It exposes the caregivers to risk factors of various musculoskeletal disorders [6]. These include back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and leg pain. But, low back pain was found to be the most prevalent pains among the caregivers of children with cerebral palsy [7]. Another study by Sharan D and Ajeesh PSet al also had similar observation. According to the study low back pain was most commonly reported musculoskeletal problem (58%), followed by knee pain and shoulder pain [6].As any other chronic pain, low back pain would also impact an individual’s day to day life. Hence it is important to consider the impact of care giving resulting into low back pain and its effect on day to day life among primary caregivers who play a significant role in the cerebral palsy child’s rehabilitation process which needs to be studied. Related Work: A study done by M.B.Byrne, DA Hurley et al on health status of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy states poorer health among female caregivers than male caregivers in both physical and mental health domains of the SF-36 [7].E Davis, A Shelly et al, in a study on, the impact of caring for a child with CP:QOL of