Influencing factors of kinesiophobia in patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND

To understand the current status and influencing factors of kinesiophobia in patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), and to provide references for the refined management of kinesiophobia patients by medical workers.

METHODS

Guided by the scoping methodology, the Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang, and China Biomedical Literature were searched from database inception until May 31, 2025. The included literature was integrated and analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 16 articles were included in the study, involving 1725 patients. The incidence of kinesiophobia in patients after ACLR was relatively high, ranging from 33.33% to 92%. The influencing factors could be summarized into 3 themes, including general condition factors (gender, age, body mass index, family income, employment status, education level, and sleep quality), disease characteristics and treatment factors (postoperative time, timing of surgery after injury, number of injuries, function of the injured knee, pain intensity, muscle activity, and biomechanical indicators), and social psychological factors (pain catastrophizing, psychological state, and self-perceived or self-efficacy scores).

CONCLUSION

Kinesiophobia is highly prevalent among patients after ACLR, with complex influencing factors. Assessment tools vary between domestic and international studies, and current research remains limited. Future studies should explore the causal relationships between kinesiophobia and its influencing factors, and develop targeted interventions to reduce its incidence, enabling patients to return to sports and society prompt.