Kinesiophobia in pediatric and adolescent gymnasts with acute and overuse injuries

Background Gymnasts are often highly specialized and have high rates of injuries. It is unclear whether highly specialized gymnasts or those with acute versus overuse injuries have different rates of kinesiophobia after injury. Objective The primary purpose of our study was to compare kinesiophobia ratings among gymnasts seeking medical care for acute injuries compared to overuse injuries. Secondarily, we evaluated whether kinesiophobia after gymnastics‐related injury was associated with sport specialization level. We hypothesized kinesiophobia would be higher in athletes with overuse injuries than in athletes with acute injuries and would be unrelated to sports specialization level. Design Cross‐sectional study. Setting A pediatric sports medicine clinic at a tertiary care hospital. Participants Gymnasts 8–18 years old who presented for a gymnastics‐related injury. Independent Variables Primary variable: acute injury versus overuse injury. Secondary variable: level of specialization (highly specialized vs. low/moderately specialized) based on the Jayanthi Scale for Sports Specialization. Main Outcome Measures Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia‐11 score. Results We enrolled and assessed 52 injured adolescent gymnasts, who were seen following an acute injury ( n = 25, mean age = 13.3 ± 2.4 years, 88% female, evaluated 1.8 ± 3.1 months post injury) or an overuse injury ( n = 27, mean age = 13.6 ± 3.6 years; 89% female, evaluated 6.5 ± 9.7 months after onset of pain). Those with an overuse injury reported significantly greater kinesiophobia than those with an acute injury (mean rating = 23.9 ± 4.2 vs. 21.1 ± 3.9; p = .02; Cohen's d = 0.68). Highly specialized athletes reported similar Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia‐11 ratings compared to low/moderately specialized athletes (mean rating = 23.3 ± 4.7 vs. 21.8 ± 3.9; p = .23; Cohen's d = 0.35). Conclusion Injured gymnasts with an overuse injury reported greater kinesiophobia than those with an acute injury. Medical providers who care for injured gymnasts should ensure these athletes feel confident and have established proper movement patterns before returning to sport, especially after overuse injuries.