Disability In Everyday Life Research Articles

Quality of Life in Lymphedema Patients Treated by Microsurgical Lymphatic Vessel Transplantation-A Long-Term Follow-Up.

Lymphedema is a chronic condition characterized by the accumulation of lymph fluid in the upper or lower extremities, leading to swelling, discomfort, and disability in everyday life. While various treatment modalities exist, microsurgical lymphatic vessel transplantation (LVT) has emerged as a promising option. However, there is little to no long-term follow-up data regarding patients' improvement in quality of life for this surgical technique. The present study conducts an investigation of the long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over more than 20 years in patients with lymphedema treated with LVT and accomplishes this by utilizing an adapted SF-12 survey. A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent LVT between 1 January 1983 and 1 October 2010 at LMU Clinic Munich (n = 35). Quality of life scores were assessed preoperatively and today in terms of physiological conditions, psychological conditions, and burden of therapy using a SF-12 survey adapted to the symptoms and impairments that chronic lymphedemas are known to cause. Our findings demonstrate a significant improvement in HRQoL following LVT, with notable enhancements in physiological and psychological conditions such as burden of therapy. Physiological conditions showed a significant positive change of 3.2648 (p < 0.01). Psychological conditions improved significantly by a factor of 2.0882 (p < 0.01). Additionally, the burden of therapy improved significantly by 1.5883 points (p < 0.01). Previous studies have already shown a significant improvement of HRQoL within the first postoperative years for patients treated by LVT. This study also demonstrates significant long-term improvement after LVT, thus underlining the effectiveness of using LVT to improve the quality of live for patients with both primary and secondary lymphedema long-term.

KSR1 Knockout Mouse Model Demonstrates MAPK Pathway's Key Role in Cisplatin- and Noise-induced Hearing Loss.

Hearing loss is a major disability in everyday life and therapeutic interventions to protect hearing would benefit a large portion of the world population. Here we found that mice devoid of the protein kinase suppressor of RAS 1 (KSR1) in their tissues (germline KO mice) exhibit resistance to both cisplatin- and noise-induced permanent hearing loss compared with their wild-type KSR1 littermates. KSR1 is a scaffold protein that brings in proximity the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) proteins BRAF, MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 and assists in their activation through a phosphorylation cascade induced by both cisplatin and noise insults in the cochlear cells. KSR1, BRAF, MEK1/2, and ERK1/2 are all ubiquitously expressed in the cochlea. Deleting the KSR1 protein tempered down the MAPK phosphorylation cascade in the cochlear cells following both cisplatin and noise insults and conferred hearing protection of up to 30 dB SPL in three tested frequencies in male and female mice. Treatment with dabrafenib, an FDA-approved oral BRAF inhibitor, protected male and female KSR1 wild-type mice from both cisplatin- and noise-induced hearing loss. Dabrafenib treatment did not enhance the protection of KO KSR1 mice, providing evidence dabrafenib works primarily through the MAPK pathway. Thus, either elimination of the KSR1 gene expression or drug inhibition of the MAPK cellular pathway in mice resulted in profound protection from both cisplatin- and noise-induced hearing loss. Inhibition of the MAPK pathway, a cellular pathway that responds to damage in the cochlear cells, can prove a valuable strategy to protect and treat hearing loss.

Four modeling approaches to study restrictions on everyday life and social activities due to chronic diseases with consequences of suicidal behavior

The purpose of this study was to discover the association between disability in everyday life and social activities due to chronic diseases and suicidal ideation (SI), suicidal plan (SP), and suicidal attempt (SA) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), considering the cross-sectional design of this study, 2016–2018 dataset. Variables for finding the associated factors of SI, SP, and SA were confirmed through random forest (RF), decision tree, generalized linear model (GLM), and support vector machine (SVM), and the performance of each model is listed. A total of 17,323 (males: 7,530, females: 9793) responders from the KNHANES from 2016 to 2018 were employed for the study. The relationship between restrictions on daily life, social activities, and three stages of suicidal behaviors due to diseases were analyzed using the R function (R version 4.2.0), randomForest, ctree, glm, and ksvm. The F1-score is a measure used to evaluate the accuracy of the performance of a model, in the binary classification. The score of 1 indicates good performance, whereas a score of 0 signifies poor performance. Due to chronic diseases, disability in everyday life and social activities lead to suicide behaviors. In our study, we examined the impact of limitations in daily living and social activities on suicidal behaviors among participants. Our findings revealed that for those experiencing such limitations, the odds ratios (ORs) for SIs were 6.10 (95% CI: 3.99–9.34) for males and 2.61 (1.79–3.81) for females. SPs were 3.69 (2.36–5.78) for males and 3.94 (2.70–5.75) for females. Similarly, the odds ratios for SAs were 5.04 (2.51–10.13) for males and 2.71 (1.48–4.98) for females, indicating a significant association between these limitations and increased suicidal behaviors, with variances observed between genders. These results underscore the necessity of addressing daily living and social activity restrictions when considering mental health interventions and suicide prevention strategies. In RF, GLM, and SVM, F1-score were 0.8192, 0.6887, and 0.9687 in SA, respectively. Among the patients with chronic disease, those with sequelae, low incomes, and low levels of education had limitations in daily activities and social activities, which increased the likelihood of suicidal thoughts, planning, and attempts.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy: predictors of the development of cognitive disorders and functional disability

Background. Predicting the individual risk of developing cognitive impairment and functional disability in everyday life among patients with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) will allow timely and adequate treatment to prevent dementia. Therefore, the study aimed to develop a mathematical model for predicting the risk of cognitive disorders and functional disability in patients with CTE based on the analysis of polymorphic variants of the ACE, AT2R1, eNOS, ePON1, IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α genes, as well as cofactors (gender, age group, follow-up, presence/absence of somatic comorbidity). Materials and methods. We examined 145 individuals with CTE who were undergoing inpatient treatment in the Communal Non-Profit Enterprise “Ternopil Regional Clinical Psychoneurological Hospital” in 2021–2022 and were included in the retrospective analysis. The molecular and genetic testing was performed for 26 patients. The molecular and genetic differentiation of the studied polymorphic variants of genes was carried out in the molecular and genetic laboratory of the State Institution “Reference Centre for Molecular Diagnostics of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine” in Kyiv. Cognitive functions were studied using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), activities of daily living — with the Barthel index. Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel and Statistica 13.0 computer software. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the likelihood of cognitive impairment and functional disability in patients with CTE. Results. When analyzing polymorphic variants of the ACE, AT2R1, eNOS, ePON1, IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α genes, as well as such cofactors as gender, age group, follow-up, presence/absence of somatic comorbidity in the context of the development of cognitive disorders in patients with CTE, it has been found that the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene has the most significant prognostic value (in the presence of the D/D genotype, the probability of cognitive impairment is 83.33 %). At the same time, patients with CTE who were carriers of the D allele of the ACE gene had a significant decrease in the MoCA score compared to the group of those who didn’t carry this allele. Regarding the development of functional disability in patients with CTE, the C108T polymorphism of the PON1 gene has the most significant prognostic value (in the presence of the T/T genotype, the risk of functional disability is 41.49 %, with significantly lower Barthel index compared to the C/C homozygotes). Conclusions. It was found that the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene and the C108T polymorphism of the PON1 gene are likely associated with the development of cognitive impairment and functional disability in patients with CTE that indicates the feasibility of further studies involving a larger sample of patients.

Navigating new normals: the influence of COVID-19 policies on community access and well-being of people with mobility disabilities in everyday life.

This study explores the influence of COVID-19 public health mandates on people with mobility disabilities in the United States in their everyday lives. It highlights the intersection of disability with social determinants of health, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive policy response. Qualitative data were collected through 76 semi-structured interviews with people with mobility disabilities. Interviews focused on experiences with COVID-19 mandates and community access, analyzed using thematic analysis and coded for emergent subthemes. The relationship between community participation and COVID-19 compliance was complex for people with disabilities. Inaccessible environments and inflexible policies made it difficult for people with disabilities to practice good safety measures, while widespread noncompliance by community members limited their community participation. The findings revealed additional mixed lived experiences of COVID-19 policies on community participation, accessibility, and access to resources and support. While technology facilitated some aspects of community participation, issues with accessibility, public transportation, and personal assistance services were exacerbated. COVID-19 policies have complex implications for people with mobility disabilities. Findings suggest a need for inclusive policymaking, improved disability awareness, and continued support for accessible technology and services. Future research should further explore these dynamics to inform policy and practice.

CHRONIC ALCOHOL-INDUCED ENCEPHALOPATHY: PREDICTORS OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY

Introduction: Predicting the risk of cognitive dysfunction and disability in everyday life among chronic alcohol-induced encephalopathy (CAIE) patients allows timely treatment to prevent dementia.&#x0D; The aim: to develop a mathematical model for predicting the risk of developing cognitive disorders and functional disability in patients with CAIE based on the analysis of polymorphic variants of the genes ACE, AT2R1, eNOS, PON1, IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α, as well as cofactors (gender, age group, the disease duration, and presence/absence of somatic comorbidity).&#x0D; Materials and methods: We examined the 102 patients with CAIE who were undergoing inpatient treatment in the communal non-profit enterprise «Ternopil Regional Clinical Psychoneurological Hospital» during 2021-2022 and were included in the retrospective analysis. The molecular-genetic testing was performed for 26 patients of the general group. The molecular-genetic differentiation of the studied polymorphic variants of genes was carried out in the molecular-genetic laboratory of the state institution «Reference Centre for Molecular Diagnostics of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine», Kyiv. Cognitive functions were assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Test (MoCA); activities of daily living were assessed using the Barthel index. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk of cognitive impairment and functional disability developing in patients with CAIE.&#x0D; Results: Analyzing polymorphic variants of the ACE, AT2R1, eNOS, PON1, IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α genes, as well as such cofactors as gender, age group, history and presence/absence of somatic comorbidity in the context of the development of cognitive disorders in patients with CAIE it has been established that the C108T polymorphism of the PON1 gene has the most significant prognostic value (in the presence of the T/T genotype, the probability of cognitive impairment is 39.84 %). At the same time, carriage of both the T allele and the C allele of the PON1 gene is associated with a significant decrease in the MoCA score. Regarding the development of functional disability in patients with CAIE, the C108T polymorphism of the PON1 gene also has the most significant prognostic value (in the presence of the T/T genotype, the probability of functional disability is 48.08 %, respectively, C/C – 30.96 % and CT – 39.22 %, however, no statistically significant differences in the Barthel index values were found in carriers of the above genotypes).&#x0D; Conclusions: It was established that the C108T polymorphism of the PON1 gene is significantly associated with the development of cognitive impairment and functional disability in patients with CAIE, which indicates the feasibility of further studies involving a larger sample of patients.

Rehabilitation Outcome Measures in Patients with Spinal Stenosis: A Literary Review

Background: Lumbar spinal stenosis causes considerable disability in everyday life; its incidence is increasing due to aging in the world population. First-line treatment is generally conservative, but rehabilitation outcome is still unclear; the aim of this systematic review was to define which domains need to be evaluated for the lumbar stenosis physiotherapy approach, further specifying if the literature suggests patient-centred or objective measures. Methods: A systematic review of the literature according to the PRISMA statement was carried out; the PICO model was used to draw research questions. RCTs about the rehabilitation of lumbar spinal stenosis conducted in the last five years were considered includible, with no difference in terms of stenosis location. The following databases were screened through specific search strings: PubMed, EBSCO, PEDro, Cochrane Database, Scopus, and Google Scholar; two independent researchers assessed results and a third opinion was requested to solve conflicts. Critical appraisal of the included studies was conducted through Pedro Jadad scores. The following data were extracted: author and year, country, sample, intervention, outcome domains, and tools. Results: From 10,069 records, three RCTs were included in the final review stage; they all showed high methodological quality. It is recommended for physiotherapists dealing with lumbar spinal stenosis to assess five main domains: disability, pain, clinical tests, mental wellbeing and kynesiophobia, and quality of life. Domains were mainly assessed through self-reported questionnaires/scales, while objective tests evaluate general lower limb movements, the active range of motion, or the muscles’ endurance. Conclusion: This five-domain evaluation model is reliable and can be practised in each rehabilitation setting (home, outpatient, and hospital); sustainability is guaranteed by the prevalent employment of self-reported tools. Future studies should evaluate the best questionnaire/scale for each domain, especially the definition of a gold standard for pain assessment in patients with lumbar stenosis as this is a challenge for the future.

Clinical examination of spatial neglect and other disorders of spatial cognition

Neglect occurring after stroke, neoplasms or degenerative processes can lead to considerable disability in everyday life as can other disorders of spatial orientation. Therefore, adedicated examination and early diagnostic classification are obligatory. Behavioral tests are helpful in this respect, enabling the clinician to obtain an initial overview of the existing deficits even at the patient's bedside. The clinical (bedside) examination of spatial neglect as well as the corresponding differential diagnostic procedure for the clarification of (possibly additionally or exclusively existing) hemianopia and extinction, as well as the examination of disorders of visuospatial perception, visuoconstructive disorders, topographic disorders, Bálint's syndrome, simultanagnosia, and optic ataxia are presented. The presentation is based on the newly revised (year 2023) guidelines of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) on this subject area.

The experiences of Palestinian Arabs with disabilities in Israel

PurposeIsrael ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and has subsequently worked towards putting disability-empowering policies and facilities in place. This study explores the experiences of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel with disabilities in everyday life including education, employment and accessing disability facilities and services.Design/methodology/approachThis study explores the challenges and experiences of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a disparate group of Arab men and women with various forms of disabilities.FindingsThis research indicates that Arabs with disabilities are either unable to access them or do so with great difficulty relative to their Jewish counterparts. The findings suggest that this is due to one of two reasons: first is institutional discrimination by Jewish and Arab staff, and second is structural discrimination as facilities and services are specifically designed for the Jewish majority and their areas of residence as opposed to Arab residential areas.Originality/valueGuided by intersectional theory, this article explores how the multiple identities of Arabs with disabilities living in Israel are co-constituted and ordered by different social and political structures which inform their daily lived experiences. This research illustrates that in Jewish politics and institutions, Arabs with disabilities in Israel are “otherised” by being flatly identified as Palestinians; yet, within their Arab communities, they are “otherised” by being reduced solely to their disability. This article examines how this variation in ordering and reduction can lead to specific experiences and forms of discrimination that requires multi-dimensional approaches and ways forward.

Comfortable urban environment as a basis for social adaptation of people with disabilities

An urban environment with comfort zones is an important condition of modern human life, in particular, it is directly related to people who have limited mobility. The lack of necessary infrastructure makes it impossible for people with disabilities to solve everyday problems and issues.The term «accessible» or «barrier–free» environment is mentioned in many legislative acts, and has different interpretations in different sources. It should be noted that the importance of this problem has been gaining momentum in recent years, the problem of the quality and accessibility of the urban environment for people with disabilities in everyday life is beginning to come to the fore.State authorities are creating the necessary conditions for people with disabilities, which are aimed at developing services, helping to overcome barriers that prevent people with disabilities from taking full part in society. People are rethinking the quality problem anew and accessibility of the urban environment for the disabled, develop special programs to improve the quality of the urban environment.This article will help to analyze the main components of a comfortable urban environment for people with disabilities, there is a set of measures, problems, solutions that help to form a comfortable urban environment for various categories of the population.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE IN OSTEOARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a frequent rheumatic disease of adults and older age. A sedentary lifestyle is the primary cause of knee, hip, and spine OA. However, it also affects the hands and causes disability in everyday life. Physical therapy improves muscle strength and quality of life, maintains a range of motion and flexibility, and reduces pain. Although more studies on OA are needed, from the patient’s perspective, physical therapy is effective. Sarcopenia and decreased muscle strength of the joints affects the evolution of OA. Inactivity and reduced function developing with age and OA favor obesity and sarcopenia. Exercise and the addition of various physical agents significantly reduce the burden related to OA.

Can telepresence robots empower people with mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities in everyday life?

Can telepresence robots empower people with mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities in everyday life?

Detecting disabilities in everyday life: evidence from a geriatric assessment

BackgroundThe activities of daily living (ADL) score is a widely used index to establish the degree of independence from any help in everyday life situations. Measuring ADL accurately is time-consuming and costly. This paper presents a framework to approximate ADL via variables usually collected in comprehensive geriatric assessments. We show that the selected variables serve as good indicators in explaining the physical disabilities of older patients.MethodsOur sample included information from a geriatric assessment of 326 patients aged between 64 and 99 years in a hospital in Tyrol, Austria. In addition to ADL, 23 variables reflecting the physical and mental status of these patients were recorded during the assessment. We performed least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) to determine which of these variables had the highest impact on explaining ADL. Then, we used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and logistic regression techniques to validate our model performance. Finally, we calculated cut-off points for each of the selected variables to show the values at which ADL fall below a certain threshold.ResultsMobility, urinary incontinence, nutritional status and cognitive function were most closely related to ADL and, therefore, to geriatric patients’ functional limitations. Jointly, the selected variables were able to detect neediness with high accuracy (area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.89 and 0.91, respectively). If a patient had a limitation in one of these variables, the probability of everyday life disability increased with a statistically significant factor between 2.4 (nutritional status, 95%-CI 1.5–3.9) and 15.1 (urinary incontinence, 95%-CI 3.6–63.4).ConclusionsOur study highlights the most important impairments of everyday life to facilitate more efficient use of clinical resources, which in turn allows for more targeted treatment of geriatric patients. At the patient level, our approach enables early detection of functional limitations and timely indications of a possible need for assistance in everyday life.

Perception and Acceptance of People with Disabilities by Employers and Co-Workers.

The perception of people with disabilities is crucial for their full inclusion and in order that they might stay economically active. The measurement tools used should be resistant to the demographic or professional characteristics of the research participants. The article attempts to test this resistance for one of the most popular tools measuring the perception of people with disabilities in everyday life—the Attitudes to Disability Scale (ADS) test developed by the WHOQOL Group. Another issue raised in the article is the acceptance of people with various types of disabilities in terms of their possible employment. We checked the differentiation of acceptance among employers from different countries. This article uses representative samples of respondents from two studies—the CATI research (2019) on samples of Polish employers and co-workers, and the CAWI research (2021) on samples of employers from Poland and Finland. The analysis methods used included confirmatory factor analysis, nested models and nonparametric analysis of variance. The research confirmed the resistance of the ADS scale to respondents’ characteristics, and found no differences for nested models constructed for groups based on categorical variables characterizing the respondents. As for acceptance of various types of disability in the workplace, significant differences were found in the statements of employers from Poland and Finland.

Will's Story: Managing Culturally Irreconcilable Identities in Everyday Life

This paper presents a case analysis from a larger research project surfacing visually disabled men's experiences of masculinity and disability in everyday life. Using the Listening Guide, a voice-centered relational method of narrative analysis, and the work of Erving Goffman and Critical Disability Studies, I present Will's story of self-exploration and illuminate how he navigates and negotiates relationships and social life in American culture, where masculinity and disability are commonly constructed as irreconcilable statuses. This paper advances knowledge about the mutuality between identities and social-structural experiences, with impairment situated between these processes as an embodied tether, that gives meaning and provides nuance to one's understanding and experience of himself in the world as a visually disabled man.

Clinical Application and Psychometric Properties of a Swedish Translation of the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit.

The impact of hearing loss on the individual and his/her everyday life can be assessed using questionnaires with the purpose to improve rehabilitation quality. The Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) can be used to evaluate disability in everyday life associated with hearing loss. Previous studies have examined APHAB outcomes in sensorineural hearing loss and we do not know whether the type of hearing loss influence questionnaire outcomes. The purpose was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a Swedish translation of the APHAB and the influence of demographic variables on the outcome in a clinical sample. A descriptive, cross-sectional study in a clinical sample. Forty-eight participants with no hearing aid experience seeking audiological rehabilitation for the first time. These participants represented different degrees of hearing loss and three types of hearing loss: monaural mixed, binaural mixed, and binaural sensorineural hearing loss. Pure-tone audiometry was conducted and the participants completed the unaided APHAB during their first appointment at the clinic. Psychometric properties of the questionnaire were examined and the influence of age, gender, type of hearing loss, and degree of hearing loss on APHAB scores were studied. The psychometric properties indicate high test-retest reliability but there seems to be some potential issues with the properties of the reverberation (RV) subscale. The items from the RV subscale failed to load as a separate component and the internal consistency of the subscale improved by removing four items (items 1, 9, 11, and 16). With few exceptions, APHAB scores were not influenced by age, gender, or type of hearing loss. APHAB scores were generally influenced by degree of hearing loss in both the best and the worst ear. This Swedish version of the APHAB can be additionally improved by addressing the inconsistencies found in the RV subscale by rephrasing or removing some items. The degree of hearing loss has some influence on questionnaire outcomes but not age, gender, and type of hearing loss.

Work and disability

There is often confusion between the notion of disability in everyday life in society and the more specific notion of disability in the workplace. A health problem cannot be considered as a disability in everyday life, even if it makes life less agreeable, but can become one in the context of a professional activity. What and who exactly do we mean when we refer to disabled workers? Here we explore the different types of disabilities and their effects on employment as well as the tools currently available.

Rodzeństwo osób z niepełnosprawnością w sytuacji kryzysowej wywołanej pandemią wirusa COVID-19

The situation of a virus SARS – CoV-2 pandemic, which has been causing COVID-19 disease, is for everyone a new and unknown situation leading to fear and insecurity. It is also the situation which caused a lot of changes in many people’s daily routine. The aim of this article is to point out the specific difficulties which child and youth siblings of people with disabilities in everyday life as a crisis situation caused by the pandemic. The purpose of this article is also to indicate the capabilities of supporting this social group. This text has been written in methodical and practical capacity in order to inspire disscussion and research in this area.

Effectiveness of Biofeedback for Primary Headache - A Randomized Controlled Study

Biofeedback-treatment for primary headache is highly recommended. Its expenses are mostly not or not completely covered by health funds, hindering the implementation in the care system. This randomized controlled study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of a biofeedback-treatment for primary headache in the outpatient care system all over Germany. The participants were divided into a direct treatment-group (n=41) and a waiting control-group (n=29). The treatment was carried out for 8-11 sessions with vasoconstriction-/vasodilation training for migraine, with electromyography training for headache of the tension type (diagnosis according to the criteria of the International Headache Association). Headache characteristics (frequency, duration, intensity) were collected via headache-diary before, during and after the treatment and headache specific disability using the Pain Disability Index before and after the treatment. The waiting group stated additional information of the questionnaires about 3 months before and again ultimately before the start of the treatment. Measurement of the headache specific self-efficacy (Headache Management Self-efficacy Scale) took place every second session. For the collected parameters the effect sizes f2 or r were computed before in comparison to after the treatment and comparing the treatment-group to the waiting-group. Headache characteristics decreased during the time of the study significantly linearly with medium to strong effects (frequency f2=0.302, p<0.001, duration f2=0.186, p<0.001, mean intensity f2=0.502, p<0.001, maximal intensity f2=0.546, p<0.001). Using biofeedback the self-efficacy rose significantly (p<0.001, r=0.782), even compared to the waiting time (p<0.001, r=0.604). Additionally the handling of pain, the psychological disability and the disability in everyday life improved significantly. Overall the effects were comparable to already existing studies. Therefore biofeedback turned out to be efficient against migraine and tension-type headache in the out-patient care setting. By that a better integration in the care system seems to be qualified.

Lumbar Lordosis, Pain Intensity and Type of Work in Women Participating in Fitness Activities

Abstract Introduction. The aim of this study was to examine women participating in fitness activities regarding their level of disability in daily activities and lumbar lordosis. Material and methods. Data were collected from 68 females between the ages of 25-70 participating in fitness exercises. The Oswestry Disability Index was applied to measure the level of disability due to the low back pain in everyday life. The angle of lumbar lordosis was measured using a Saunders’ digital inclinometer. Results. The results of the study confirmed the existence of problems related to low back pain in people performing sedentary work. There were no correlations between lumbar lordosis angle and the level of disability in daily activities of the groups. The low back pain increases especially among people performing sedentary work. Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that work in a sitting position is not associated with a decrease in the angle of lordosis in relation to another work than in a sitting position. Sitting work can be an indirect cause of back pain and slight disability in everyday life by weakening postural muscles.