Aim

Caregivers of individuals after stroke constitute one of the largest groups of informal caregivers in Poland. Caregiving is associated with psychological, physical, and social burden. The study aimed to determine whether physical activity may modify the subjectively perceived caregiving burden.

Material and methods

The study included 128 caregivers of individuals after stroke (68% women; mean age 42 years, range 24–75; mean caregiving duration 4 years, range 0.5–7). Data were collected using an online questionnaire comprising the Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS) to assess caregiving burden, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form (IPAQ-SF) to assess physical activity, and an author-developed questionnaire on caregivers’ attitudes towards physical activity.

Results

Caregivers reported a high burden, with the highest scores in the domains of isolation and environmental difficulties. Burden was significantly higher among female caregivers, those with greater workload in paid employment, caring for persons with higher BMI, and providing care for a longer time. Physical activity did not correlate with the total CBS score but showed weak yet significant associations with selected emotional dimensions (emotional involvement, disappointment). Notably, 96% of respondents expressed willingness to engage in physical activity, with lack of time and energy identified as the main barriers.

Conclusions

Although physical activity was not associated with overall caregiving burden, it may be linked primarily to the emotional dimension of the caregiving experience. The high readiness to engage in physical activity supports consideration of brief, targeted programmes, including dyadic caregiver–patient formats, as part of supportive strategies addressing caregiver burden within post-stroke rehabilitation.