Stefan Fischerauer|Mojtaba Talaei?Khoei|Rens Bexkens|David Ring|Luke S. Oh|Ana?Maria Vranceanu
What Is the Relationship of Fear Avoidance to Physical Function and Pain Intensity in Injured Athletes?
background fear avoidance play prominent role maladaptive responses injury injured athletes painrelated fear fear avoidance behavior may substantial influence recovery process specifically may explain able reach preinjury abilities whereas others unable return sport questionspurposes 1 fear avoidance athletes associated decreased physical function injury 2 degree fear avoidance associated athletes pain intensity methods crosssectional study recruited injured athletesdefined patients sportsrelated injury weekly engagement sport activities participation competitive events part team club selfidentification athlete desire return sport recoveryfrom orthopaedic sports medicine center major urban university hospital 130 approached patients 102 84 men mean sd age 25 85 years met inclusion criteria participants completed demographic questionnaire athlete fear avoidance questionnaire assesses injuryrelated fear avoidance behavior specifically athletic population pain catastrophizing scale hospital anxiety depression scale two patientreported outcomes measurement information system measures physical function computerized adaptive testing cat pain intensity cat results controlling age injury region upper versus lower extremity catastrophic thinking emotional distress found increase athletes fear avoidance associated decrease physical function b 032 p 0002 model explained 30 variation physical function 73 explained uniquely fear avoidance controlling initial appointmentfollowup surgery current condition multiple pain conditions history prior sportrelated injurysurgery pain medication prescription catastrophic thinking emotional distress athletes fear avoidance associated pain b 014 p 0249 model explained 40 variation pain intensity pain catastrophizing b 030 p 0001 uniquely explained 71 variation conclusions injured athletes fear avoidance independently associated decreased physical function whereas pain catastrophizing associated high pain intensity level athletes fear avoidance catastrophic thinking pain accounted clinical interventions aimed helping athletes improve recovery return sport level evidence level ii prognostic study