Kinesiophobia in Skiers with Knee Injuries

Introduction. Alpine skiing is one of the most dangerous winter sports that entails a high number of injuries, most commonly affecting the knee. Kinesiophobia is a condition in which an individual experiences fear of physical movement and activity as a result of feeling susceptible to injuries or recurrent injuries. The objective was to examine the level of kinesiophobia in skiers who have sustained knee injuries. Material and methods. The sample consisted of 22 female and 11 male professional skiers, with the average age of 24 ± 7.391 years. For the purpose of the assessment, the Tampa scale for kinesiophobia (TSK) was employed. Results. The number of knee injuries in skiers totals at least 1 and 11 at most, on average 2.45, most commonly involving the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus. There were no significant differences between the left and the right knee or bilateral injuries. The average score in the TSK totals 36 points, which is close to the critical threshold of 37 points. 36% of the participants possess a high level of kinesiophobia. With respect to the general level of kinesiophobia, no significant differences were found in relation to gender, with regard to the number of surgeries or whether one or both knees were affected by injuries. Older skiers have also been found to have significantly lower fear of recurrent injuries. Conclusions. The number of knee injuries in skiing is high and aggravating, in such a way that almost one third of skiers that have sustained knee injuries experience a critical level of kinesiophobia, and that requires intervention. During rehabilitation, psychological support should also be provided to athletes in order to prevent or reduce kinesiophobia and thus prevent recurrent or new injuries.