Author(s): Sashin Lucien Palliam

Abstract:
Activities of daily living (ADL) are the required skills to live independently and are associated with quality of life (QOL). Sidney Katz is credited to use the term QOL in 1950. Accordingly, healthcare professionals have used patients’ functional ability and degree of independence as a measure of patient QOL. Lower back pain (LBP) is a disorder that has a significant impact on a patient’s ADL and ultimately well-being and QOL. LBP can cause decreased mobility, reduced flexibility and poor posture. In essence, the ability to lift, walk, stand and sit is affected. Consequently, pain disrupts the body functions and limits one’s ability to participate in sports and in routine physical activities. This renders an individual to a sense of hopelessness and psychological trauma. The result is a sedentary lifestyle which has long been discouraged since it can lead to ill-health that can have major long-term effects on physical and mental well-being. Individuals will experience LBP over their lifespan. The diagnosis can be complicated since the pain may result from, among others, damage to the intervertebral discs, compression of nerve roots, and improper movement of the spinal joints and the consequences of aging. This study’s results on hydrotherapy as an intervention for LBP showed positive effects on the QOL and ADL.

Pages: 498-503  |  94 Views  62 Downloads

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