Treatments for kinesiophobia in people with chronic pain: A scoping review

Abstract

Kinesiophobia is associated with pain intensity in people suffering from chronic pain. The number of publications highlighting this relationship has increased significantly in recent years, emphasizing the importance of investigating and synthesizing research evidence on this topic. The purpose of this scoping review was to answer the following questions: (1) What types of interventions have been or are currently being studied in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the management of kinesiophobia in patients with chronic pain? (2) What chronic pain conditions are targeted by these interventions? (3) What assessment tools for kinesiophobia are used in these interventions? According to the studies reviewed, (1) physical exercise is the most commonly used approach for managing irrational fear of movement, (2) interventions for kinesiophobia have primarily focused on musculoskeletal pain conditions, particularly low back pain and neck pain, and (3) the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia is the most commonly used tool for measuring kinesiophobia. Future RCTs should consider multidisciplinary interventions that can help patients confront their irrational fear of movement while taking into account the patient’s personal biological, psychological, and social experiences with pain and kinesiophobia.

A scientometric analysis and visualization of kinesiophobia research from 2002 to 2022: A review

“…[30,66] Studies have found that 56%-72% of chronic pain patients are affected by kinesiophobia, [67,68] and most of the scientific work on the treatment of kinesiophobia has focused on chronic pain disorders, especially low back pain and neck pain. [51] This is consistent with the results of our bibliometric analysis. At present, research on kinesiophobia has extended beyond low back pain to other diseases associated with chronic pain or the development of chronic pain due to kinesiophobia, such as fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, Parkinson disease, and even stroke and postoperative recovery.…”

“…[13] As kinesiophobia is the result of interactions among physiological, psychological and social factors, interventions are challenging as they need to adopt a multidisciplinary strategy addressing physiological and cognitive-behavioral aspects. [51,52] Studies have proven that the multidisciplinary model, which combines psychological and cognitive aspects to help patients change their incorrect beliefs and perceptions and master effective health management methods, as well as a hierarchical activity plan and training courses led by therapists, can improve patients’ health outcomes by changing patients’ kinesiophobia beliefs, reducing pain catastrophizing and increasing pain self-efficacy. [53,54] With the development of medical technology and interdisciplinary methods, more potentially effective methods have been discussed, such as exposure intervention based on behavioral observation, [55] exposure intervention based on VR technology, [56] eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy.…”

“…[74] From the psychological and physiological aspects, PNE is an effective psychotherapy, and the combination of PNE and various forms of physical therapy as a treatment for kinesiophobia is worth exploring. [51] Similarly, sex, age, and education level may be associated with kinesiophobia severity; thus, the diverse and personalized PNE method may become an option with future research. [8,75] Another promising approach is VR.…”

Effects of exercise/physical activity on fear of movement in people with spine-related pain: a systematic review

“…Furthermore, a systematic review published in 2020 investigating the effects of Pilates found moderate evidence that Pilates effectively reduced kinesiophobia in people with chronic non-specific LBP when compared to no or minimal interventions (De Freitas et al, 2020). Additionally, a scoping review conducted by Bordeleau et al (2022) treatments for kinesiophobia in people with chronic pain, found that The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia is the most widely used tool for assessing kinesiophobia. Physical exercise is the most frequently used strategy for managing irrational fear of movement.…”

Unveiling the Nexus of Cervical Proprioception, Postural Stability, and Impeding Factors in Cervical Spondylosis: Insights from Reposition Errors, Limits of Stability, and Mediation Analysis

“…Kinesiophobia, characterized by an irrational fear of movement due to the anticipation of pain, might also interact with proprioceptive function and postural stability in this population [17,19]. By delving into these mediating factors, a more nuanced understanding of the multifaceted relationship between cervical proprioception, stability, pain, and psychological factors can be obtained [20,21].…”