Do Kinesiophobia Levels During Recovery Change After Primary Versus Secondary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction?

Abstract

Context: Thirty percent of athletes go on to sustain a secondary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury after return to sport. Those that went on to suffer a secondary injury had greater kinesiophobia levels at time of return to sport; however, these relationships have primarily been observed in patients after primary ACL reconstruction (ACLR). The purpose of this study is to compare differences in kinesiophobia 4 to 8 months after an individual's primary versus secondary ACLR.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of an ongoing point of care study. To create our analytic sample, we identified participants between the ages of 14 and 35 years in the study protocol who provided data after primary and secondary ACLR, were 4 to 8 months status post-ACLR, and reported no concomitant surgical procedures at the time of primary or secondary ACLR that significantly delayed their rehabilitation protocol (e.g., meniscal repair). Demographic and participant characteristics and the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia-17 scores were collected after both primary and secondary ACLR. This study is a within-subjects design. Paired t tests were used to compare Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia-17 scores between the primary and secondary ACLR.

Results: Sixteen participants (male = 10, female = 6; height = 172.2 [11.5] cm, weight = 72.2 [20.9] kg) met inclusion criteria for the present study. Participants were 18.2 (3.0) years old and 5.6 (1.0) months since surgery after primary ACLR and 19.0 (1.0) years old and 5.9 (1.0) months since surgery after secondary ACLR. The average score for Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia-17 was not different (P = .77) after the primary (32.7 [5.0]) and secondary ACLR (33.1 [5.2]).

Conclusion: There were no significant differences in kinesiophobia levels in individuals after their primary and secondary ACLR. Although nonsignificant, there is lack of resolution of kinesiophobia between primary and secondary ACLR.