Effect of postoperative kinesophobia on early rehabilitation of shoulder function after repair of rotator cuff tear

Objective To investigate the effect of postoperative kinesophobia on early rehabilitation of shoulder function after repair of rotator cuff tear.

Methods A total of 65 patients with arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff in the Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University from June 2021 to June 2022 were selected as research objects. According to the score of the Tampa Scale for Kinesophobia (TSK) on the first day after operation, the patients were divided into kinesophobia group with 32 cases (TSK score>37) and non-kinesophobia group with 33 cases (TSK score ≤ 37), and one case in the kinesophobia group refused to accept follow-up during the study was excluded. Scores of the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Oxford Shoulder Scale (OSS), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (ASES) and the Constant shoulder scale were compared at different time points between the two groups.

Results At the time points of 1 day and 3 days after operation, 1 week and 4 weeks after operation and 3 months after operation, the VAS score and OSS score of the kinesophobia group were significantly higher than those of the non-kinesophobia group, while the ASES score and the Constant score of shoulder joint were significantly lower than those of the non-kinesophobia group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion Postoperative kinesophobia will affect the early recovery of shoulder function after repair of rotator cuff tear, and the medical staffs should identify and intervene the patients with kinesophobia as early as possible to improve the postoperative rehabilitation effect.