Kinesiophobia Is Negatively Associated With Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport in Patients Awaiting Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Purpose: To identify the factors associated with anterior cruciate ligament return to sport after injury (ACL-RSI) scores in patients awaiting ACL reconstruction (ACLR). Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional observational study conducted at a single clinical center. We recruited patients scheduled for primary ACLR, aged 16-45 years, and with modified Tegner activity scale scores >= 5 before ACL injury. The main outcome was psychological readiness to return to sport (RTS), as measured using the ACL-RSI scale. Participants' personal and injury-related information were obtained, and their psychological status (Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia [TSK] and athletic identity measurement scale) and knee functions (effusion, range of motion, joint stability, and knee flexion angle during a single-leg squat) were examined. All variables were assessed the day before the surgery. Results: A total of 105 patients (median [interquartile range]: age, 20.0 [9.0] years; body mass index, 22.8 [4.3] kg/m(2); days from injury to surgery, 63.0 [65.0] days; 44% female) were enrolled. Univariate analysis indicated that only the TSK score was associated with the ACL-RSI scores (r = -0.305; P = .02). Multiple regression analysis of factors, including sex, preinjury Tegner activity scale score, and days from injury to surgery, further showed that only the TSK score was associated with the ACL-RSI scores (P = .002; 95% confidence interval -1.738 to -0.394). Conclusions: In patients awaiting ACLR, kinesiophobia was moderately negatively associated with psychological readiness to RTS, while other factors were not. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective cross-sectional observational study.