Abstract
Kinesiophobia, or the fear of movement, occurs in individuals for various reasons. One significant reason is an irrational, debilitating fear of pain that often accompanies physical activity. Other concerns in broader contexts include fear of fatigue, fear of increased physical activity, fear of physical/psychological discomfort, and fear of disease progression and secondary complications. Recently, attention has been given to kinesiophobia in patients with chronic somatic diseases. The fear of movement can be a key phenomenon influencing the relationship with the implementation of physical activities, whether in the rehabilitation process or leisure time, for chronically ill individuals.
Objective: To provide an overview of the prevalence of kinesiophobia in selected chronic diseases and identify barriers to physical activities.
Methods: A review research study using electronic sources from the National Medical Library, Central Sports Library, and specialized databases such as PubMed, EBSCO, SCOPUS, Medline, and Web of Science.
Results: We present a comprehensive overview of the occurrence of kinesiophobia and its correlations in patients with chronic low back pain, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, multiple sclerosis, post-stroke, and Parkinson's disease. Common barriers associated with kinesiophobia include chronic pain, functional impairment related to the underlying disease, depression, anxiety, insufficient understanding of the importance of physical activity, low level of education, and more.
Conclusion: Long-term avoidance of movement can have serious health consequences for individuals in terms of both the primary disease and overall health. Therefore, it is essential to identify the causes of kinesiophobia at both the physical and psychological levels and subsequently tailor therapeutic and rehabilitation approaches to these factors.